Smoke Persists as Joint Task Force Continues Firefighting Efforts in South Sumatra

The joint task force is continuing to combat forest and land fires (karhutla) in the Rantau Bayur area of Banyuasin Regency and Pemulutan in Ogan Ilir Regency, South Sumatra, as smoke continues to rise from both locations.

Sudirman, Head of Emergency Response at the South Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), stated in Palembang on Friday that firefighting operations are being conducted via both land and air, utilising four water bombing helicopters.

As of the conclusion of aerial operations yesterday afternoon (30/1), the fires in Rantau Bayur and Pemulutan were still emitting smoke. Sudirman explained that the operations in Rantau Bayur involved 147 water bombing sorties using three helicopters, with the burnt area estimated to be between 2 and 3 hectares.

In addition to aerial efforts, a joint team is managing the fire on the ground in Pemulutan. Personnel from the South Sumatra and Ogan Ilir BPBD, the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces), the Polri (Indonesian National Police), and Manggala Agni have been deployed to tackle the blaze.

“These efforts have so far managed to extinguish approximately four hectares,” said Sudirman. The joint team continues to monitor several locations to ensure no new hotspots emerge and to prevent the fire from spreading further.