Forest and Land Fires in Sumedang's Cinanjung Village Extinguished by Joint Task Force
Forest and land fires (karhutla) in the West Java region continue to show an increasing trend as the dry season progresses. The latest incident was reported to have hit the border area of Licin Village and Mandalaheran Village, Cimalaka District, Sumedang Regency.
Extinguishing efforts were carried out intensively by a joint task force deployed to the location shortly after receiving reports from the public. A number of fire engines were dispatched to localise the fire and prevent it from spreading to wider vegetation areas.
Based on data from the West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the distribution of hotspots is no longer concentrated in one area but has spread to over a dozen administrative regions in West Java.
Hadi Rahmat, a spokesperson for the West Java BPBD, stressed that the increasing potential for forest and land fires requires extra vigilance from all levels of society. His agency continues to monitor vulnerable points to ensure a rapid response should subsequent fires occur.
"The West Java BPBD urges the public to increase awareness of the potential for forest and land fires, which are rising during the dry season. Avoid activities that can trigger fires, such as burning land or carelessly discarding cigarette butts," Hadi stated.
Besides natural factors like extreme hot weather, human activity remains one of the main triggers for land fires. The BPBD is asking residents to report immediately if they see plumes of smoke in forested areas or vacant land so that action can be taken before the fires grow.
It was reported a day earlier that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) appreciated the rapid response of the joint task force in handling the forest and land fire that hit a vegetation area in Sumedang Regency, West Java. Inter-agency synergy was key to preventing the flames from spreading to more critical areas.
Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Centre, stated that the fire occurred in Cinanjung Village, Tanjungsari District, Sumedang Regency, on Tuesday (28/7). Thanks to the swift handling, the fire was brought under control before it could cause greater impact.
"Thanks to the rapid handling by the joint task force, the fire was successfully extinguished," Abdul Muhari said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The initial fire report was received from local residents. Following up on the report, the joint task force under the coordination of the Sumedang Regency BPBD immediately moved to the location. The task force personnel consisted of BPBD, the Fire Department, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and other relevant agencies.
Extinguishing efforts were focused on localising the fire spots to prevent them from spreading to sensitive areas. Abdul explained that the field team carried out integrated localisation efforts through ground watering. This strategic measure proved effective in stopping the fire from spreading, both to residential areas and to other surrounding vegetation.
The success of the extinguishing operation highlights the importance of inter-agency coordination in facing the threat of forest and land fires, especially in areas where vegetation is in close proximity to residential settlements.