Five regencies and cities in Riau declare emergency status for forest and land fires

Pekanbaru, (ANTARA) - Five regencies/cities in Riau Province have declared emergency status for forest and land fires (karhutla) following an increase in hot spots in the area amid several days of dry weather.

Jim Gafur, head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the Regional Disaster Management Agency and Fire Brigade (BPBD Damkar) Riau, said the five areas that had declared emergency status for karhutla were Pelalawan Regency, Indragiri Hilir (Inhil), Bengkalis, Siak, and Kampar.

“There are already five areas in Riau that have declared emergency status for karhutla, namely Pelalawan, Inhil, Bengkalis, Siak, and Kampar,” he said in Pekanbaru on Thursday.

With the declaration, he urged regency/city governments to take anticipatory and mitigation steps. First, to hold a karhutla readiness drill involving all relevant stakeholders.

Then to carry out socialisation and advisories not to open land by burning to the community, both directly and through subdistrict heads (camat), village heads (kades) / ward heads (lurah) in their respective areas.

“To mobilise all resources, including personnel and equipment and karhutla tools, and to provide operational budgets for prevention and extinguishment of karhutla, as well as to enhance cooperation and coordination with all stakeholders and undertake measures to moisten land vulnerable to karhutla,” he said.

Meanwhile, to date, the agency notes there are 11 regencies/cities in Riau that have experienced karhutla at the start of this year. Of these 11 areas, the total area affected by karhutla is 1,041.74 hectares.