We urge the public to refrain from opening land by burning.
Singkawang (ANTARA) – A joint team has intensified efforts to extinguish and cool down forest and land fires in Pangmilang, South Singkawang District, Singkawang City, West Kalimantan, following the detection of 11 hotspots in the area.
Chief of the South Singkawang Sector Police (Iptu) Dian Edi Sarwono said that police personnel, alongside TNI personnel, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), volunteers, and local residents, were still deployed at the sites to control the flames and prevent the fire from spreading.
“A total of 11 hotspots have been detected within the jurisdiction of the South Singkawang Police. Most of them are located in Pangmilang,” he said in Singkawang on Tuesday.
He explained that firefighting efforts are being carried out intensively because dry conditions and strong winds in several areas could accelerate the spread of the fire. In addition to extinguishing the fire, personnel are also carrying out cooling operations to ensure there are no remaining embers that could reignite the fire.
“We urge the public to refrain from opening land by burning. Such actions risk causing land fires that can lead to smoke haze, which can cause breathing problems,” he said.
According to him, community involvement is crucial in handling forest and land fires, particularly through reporting any fires or hotspots in the local area.
He added that personnel also continue to monitor various areas where the fires have been extinguished to anticipate any reignition caused by remaining embers.
He reminded the public not to use fire for land clearing while weather conditions remain dry because uncontrolled burning can spread rapidly and negatively affect air quality and residents’ health.
“We understand the people’s need to manage their land, but let us find other ways that are safer and do not harm ourselves or others,” he said.
Together with relevant agencies, the police will strengthen patrols and public outreach in areas prone to forest and land fires as a preventive measure.
People who spot a fire are also urged to immediately report it to the police, BPBD, or local sub-district officials so that a rapid response can be initiated before the fire spreads.
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Translator: Narwati, Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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