Kebumen Police on Forest Fire Alert, BPBD Distributes Water as Dry Season Bites

The Kebumen Police in Central Java have held a forest and land fire (karhutla) preparedness drill as the region enters the peak of the dry season. Kebumen Police Chief AKP Bagus Krisna Purnama said the alert aimed to strengthen the readiness of personnel and equipment to deal with the increasing threat of fires. “Forest and land fires not only cause material losses, but also damage the environment, disrupt public health, and hinder community activities,” he said, adding that most fires are triggered by human negligence. He urged residents to avoid burning land or litter and to report any fire sightings immediately.

Meanwhile, the Kebumen Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has begun distributing clean water to areas facing drought. BPBD Head Udy Cahyono said assessments had been completed for 11 villages, with an initial 14 tanks, or approximately 63,000 litres, of water delivered. The distribution targets villages in Karanggayam, Sempor, Pejagoan, Alian, Sruweng, and Padureso sub-districts. Cahyono noted that the dry season is expected to be prolonged, similar to conditions in 2023, and that the total distribution could exceed 1,400 tanks this year with support from the regional budget. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast that the dry spell will persist until October or November, prompting authorities to urge heightened public vigilance against both fires and water scarcity.