25-6-2023 (JAKARTA) On Saturday (24/6/2023), a forest and land fire broke out in the Landasan Ulin District of Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan. According to preliminary data from the Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Control Center (Pusdalops-PB), the extent of the forest and land fires (karhutla) in South Kalimantan has reached 132 hectares and continues to spread with 2,100 hotspots detected.
The authorities have deployed firefighters and equipment to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading further. However, the difficult terrain and windy conditions have hindered their efforts, and the fire continues to rage on.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it is suspected that it was started by human activity. The dry season and the use of fire for land clearing and agricultural purposes often lead to forest and land fires in Indonesia, causing environmental damage, health problems, and economic losses.
The forest and land fires in South Kalimantan have raised concerns about the impact on the local ecology and biodiversity, including endangered species such as orangutans, as well as the livelihood of communities that depend on the forest resources.
The Indonesian government has launched various initiatives to prevent and control forest and land fires, including law enforcement, fire prevention campaigns, and sustainable land use practices, but the recurrence of karhutla indicates that more needs to be done to address the root causes of the problem.
