Island focus: Jambis forest fires reach emergency level
Island focus: Jambis forest fires reach emergency level
29 July 2016
published by http://www.thejakartapost.com
Indonesia The Jambi administration will soon increase the status of the provinces land and forest fires to an emergency level amid a growing number of hot spots and fire spots. The announcement of the new status is pending authorization by Jambi Governor Zumi Zola.
Jambi Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Arief Munandar said there was sufficient reason for the increase to emergency level.
The emergency status is part of the governments moves to anticipate potentially disastrous land and forest fires like those seen in 2015. Moreover, Jambi Forestry Office head Irmansyah said Jambi was one of seven provinces prone to forest fires being monitored this year by President Joko Jokowi Widodo, who studied forestry at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.
Jambi BPBD disaster response section head Dalmanto said the indicators for emergency status had met criteria set by the central government.
The indicators include the air temperature in Jambi, which reached up to 34.8 degrees Celsius on July 10, 2016, followed by the emergence of hot spots and fire spots, [which have] increased during July, said Dalmanto.
