Kupastuntas.co, Bandar Lampung - Forest and land fires (Karhutla) in Lampung Province are the most extensive in Sumatra Island during 2023. Way Kambas National Park (TNWK) has the most forest and land fires covering an area of 1,970 hectares.

Assistant Deputy (Asdep) 4/V Kamtibmas Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam), Brigadier General Pol Lakoni, said that the number of forest and land fires in Lampung Province continues to decline quite drastically every year. However, Lampung Province is listed as the area with the largest forest and land fires in Sumatra in 2023.

"Based on the results of identifying problems in handling forest and land fires, many regions do not have operational support for emergency extinguishing from BNPB," said Lakoni during a coordination meeting for handling forest and land fires in Lampung in 2023 which took place at the Novotel Hotel, Bandar Lampung, Tuesday (19/9 /2023).

Apart from that, said Lakoni, there is also the problem that the existing facilities and infrastructure for dealing with forest and land fires are in an outdated and damaged condition. "Then many companies have not been maximally involved in tackling forest and land fires," he said.

Director of Forest and Land Fire Control at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Thomas Tandi Bua, added that there were several cases of forest and land fires that occurred in Lampung during the January-August 2023 period.

Among them, on January 6 2023, a forest and land fire occurred in Grid 34E of the Susukan Baru Resort, Way Kanan, precisely at the Way Kambas National Park Hall with an area of approximately 70 hectares of burned land. Then on January 9 2023, forest and land fires occurred again in Grid 14E of the Susukan Baru Resort, Way Kanan, as well as in the Way Kambas National Park of approximately 100 hectares.

"Furthermore, on January 14 2023, at Grid 68C Resort Rantau Jaya, Grid 67, 76, 77C Resort Toto Projo, Way Kambas National Park Hall, the area of burned land was approximately 1,500 hectares," he explained.

Then, on February 10 2023 at the Susukan Baru resort, Way Kambas National Park Hall, another forest and land fire occurred with a land area of 100 hectares.

"Then on February 11 2023 the Rantau Jaya resort and Susukan Baru Resort SPTN 1 Way Kanan Way Kambas National Park Hall burned 200 hectares. And indeed the most forest and land fires that occurred in Lampung were in the WKNP," he explained. He continued, the total area of TNWK land burned was approximately 1,970 hectares.

Thomas explained that outside the TNWK area, forest and land fires also occurred in a number of areas in Lampung Province. Namely in Central Lampung 125.45 hectares, East Lampung 2,752.92 hectares, North Lampung 23.46 hectares, Mesuji 178.00 hectares, Tulang Bawang 224.22 hectares, West Tulangbawang 4.55 hectares and Way Kanan 238.59 hectares.

Thomas appealed, in dealing with the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, all parties must monitor data and information on climate forecasts, weather and fire warning systems from BMKG.

Then monitor hotspots and information on forest and land fire incidents from the field, as well as carry out outreach, outreach, literacy campaigns and education in areas prone to forest and land fires.

"It is also important to install signs and boards warning of the dangers of forest and land fires in strategic locations. As well as increasing monitoring of indications of forest and land fire incidents by carrying out patrols and field checks," he said.

Head of the Lampung Province Forestry Service, Yanyan Ruchyansyah, who was present at the meeting, said that the TNWK area where forest and land fires often occur is in savanna land.

Yanyan said that forest and land fires often occur in the WKNP because of the efforts of poachers to grow grass so that deer can gather in the area.

"The efforts made by TNWK are to carry out investigations into the perpetrators and take an approach so that the perpetrators are aware of the effects of their behavior. So it is indeed a persuasive approach," said Yanyan.

Apart from that, TNWK has also approached the community to participate in maintaining and rehabilitating land in their area.

"TNWK has also collaborated with Unila to carry out rehabilitation in several spots. And thank God, the community has also shown attention and responsibility for the maintenance of the rehabilitation land," he explained.

Yanyan continued, the Lampung Provincial Government has also asked the regents and mayors to participate in efforts to overcome and prevent forest and land fires.

"Indeed, early detection is an important main action. Because once there is a fire it is difficult to extinguish it. So the role of the community as the spearhead is very important," he explained.

Yanyan explained, to prevent and deal with forest and land fires in Lampung, 241 forest police were alerted, 20 groups of the Fire Concern Society (MPI), 600 Community Polhut Partners (MMP), 27 NGO disaster volunteer forums, TNI and Polri as well as district/city BPBD and province.

"We hope that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry can make KPH functional. Because KPH is on site and has high intensity in the field so It's important to be empowered," he said. (*)

This news was published in the Wednesday 20 September 2023 edition of Kupas Tuntas daily newspaper with the title "Brigjen Lakoni: The Largest Forest and Land Fires in Lampung in Sumatra"