Peatland Fires in Four Riau Regencies Still Raging
Fire suppression operations for forest and land fires (Karhutla) in several areas of Riau are still ongoing. To date, firefighting efforts are continuing in four regencies: Kampar, Rokan Hilir (Rohil), Bengkalis, and Indragiri Hulu (Inhu).
Head of the Sumatra Forest Fire Control Centre (Dalkarhut), Ferdian Krisnanto, said teams in the field are not only extinguishing active hotspots but also ensuring that embers and remaining fire remnants are completely extinguished through a mopping-up process.
“Fire suppression operations and follow-up handling at several locations are still ongoing. For locations already in the mopping-up stage, personnel are ensuring there are no remaining embers or hotspots that could potentially reignite,” said Ferdian on Sunday (16/8).
He explained that for the Manggala Agni Daops Pekanbaru operational area, one team has been deployed to handle forest and land fires in Rimbo Panjang Village, Tambang District, Kampar Regency, Riau. The location is entering its second day of handling.
Another team has been dispatched to Pangkalan Baru Village, Siak Hulu District, Kampar Regency. Handling at this location has entered its fifth day.
Meanwhile, Manggala Agni Daops Dumai is handling several locations still in the process of extinguishing and final completion. In Palika Hamlet, Palika District, Rokan Hilir Regency, one Manggala Agni team is entering its eighth day of handling and is currently carrying out mopping-up.
Similar handling is also being carried out in Buluh Apo Village, Pinggir District, Bengkalis Regency. The Manggala Agni Daops Dumai team is entering its seventh day of handling and is conducting mopping-up to ensure that areas that have been extinguished do not reignite.
In addition to these two locations, one Manggala Agni team has also been deployed to Pangkalan Libut Village, Pinggir District, Bengkalis Regency. Handling at this location is entering its third day.
In the Manggala Agni Daops Rengat working area, handling of forest and land fires in Sei Guntung Hilir Urban Village, Rengat District, Indragiri Hulu Regency, has entered its 14th day.
A total of four teams have been placed in several sectors to handle the location. Handling is carried out by dividing personnel by sector so that extinguishing and monitoring can be carried out more effectively.
He revealed that the personnel arrangement is part of the operational strategy to ensure that field handling continues to run optimally, especially at locations requiring continuous monitoring.
“We continue to adjust personnel strength to field needs. Teams at the location are carrying out extinguishing as well as monitoring to ensure the fire is truly under control,” he said.
In operational developments, assistance teams from Daops Lahat and Daops Siak have been demobilised after personnel support at the location was deemed no longer necessary.
He emphasised that the handling process continues to be carried out by personnel in each operational area. Evaluations are conducted periodically by considering field conditions and hotspot developments.
Manggala Agni together with relevant elements continue to monitor the development of forest and land fires in the Riau region. Handling is carried out by prioritising personnel safety and extinguishing effectiveness at each location.
“We continue to prioritise monitoring after the fire has been successfully extinguished. The mopping-up stage is important to ensure no embers remain and to prevent the fire from reappearing,” he concluded.