Garut BPBD Maps Drought and Forest Fire Prone Areas Ahead of Dry Season

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Garut Regency, West Java, is conducting mitigation efforts by mapping areas prone to drought and forest and land fires during the dry season as preparation for rapid and precise response. “The overall drought disaster risk across the 42 districts in Garut Regency is classified as moderate because all areas have the potential to be affected,” said Aah Anwar Saefuloh, Chief Executive of BPBD Garut, on Thursday. He stated that based on a West Java Governor’s Decree and BMKG predictions, the 2026 dry season will be drier with the peak occurring in August to September 2026. BPBD Garut is following up on this by taking anticipatory steps, such as mapping disaster-prone areas based on drought risk assessments and urging the public to increase preparedness. He noted that out of the 42 districts in Garut, 10 districts are of particular concern for disaster preparedness: Mekarmukti, Sukaresmi, Pasirwangi, Samarang, Pameungpeuk, Pamulihan, Cibalong, Bungbulang, Bayongbong, and Cigedug. “Based on the Garut Regency disaster risk assessment, several districts are the main priority for drought disaster preparedness,” he said. He added that the Garut region is a high-risk area for forest and land fires based on studies during the dry season, prompting his team to increase vigilance. “The overall risk of forest and land fires in Garut Regency falls into the high-risk category, with several districts being the main preparedness priorities,” he said. He urged residents, amidst the threat of drought, to conserve clean water, check for leaking pipes to prevent wastage, prepare water storage, and utilise infiltration wells to maintain water reserves. For the agricultural sector, he advised implementing wise irrigation systems and planting commodities that are resistant to water scarcity during the dry season to prevent crop failure. He added that to prevent forest and land fires, residents are urged not to light fires carelessly or discard cigarette butts indiscriminately in dry areas.