Forest and Land Fires Spread Across Four Regencies in South Sulawesi, 33 Hectares Burned
Forest and land fires (karhutla) in South Sulawesi are spreading to several areas, with the latest incident reported in Sidenreng Rappang (Sidrap) Regency. The fires, exacerbated by a prolonged and abnormal dry season, have now affected four regencies: Luwu Timur, Pinrang, Tana Toraja, and Sidrap.
Head of the South Sulawesi Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Amson Pasolo, stated that his office has issued early warnings to district and city governments following predictions from the Makassar Region IV Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) regarding this year’s unusual dry season characteristics. The peak of the drought is predicted to occur from August to September 2026, with a potential for longer rainless periods compared to previous years. “All parties must remain vigilant. All stakeholders have coordinated to carry out early mitigation efforts,” Amson said.
According to a report from the Sidrap BPBD on Wednesday (12/8), hotspots were detected around 12:15 WITA in two locations: Mojong Village, Watang Sidenreng District, and Lawawoi Urban Village, Watang Pulu District. Seven hectares of land were reported scorched in these areas, while the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by authorities. With the addition of the Sidrap incident, the total area of land burned in South Sulawesi has now reached 33 hectares.
In response to the potential for dry hydrometeorological disasters, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has urged the public to increase vigilance and proactively engage in prevention. Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Centre, Dodi Yuleova, emphasised the broad impacts of forest and land fires, which extend beyond environmental damage to include declining air quality, public health issues, and disruptions to economic and social activities. The government is calling on residents to refrain from burning forests and land, particularly for land clearing, and to immediately report any hotspots to the authorities for early intervention.