REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Deputy in Ministry of Environment, Yuwono Arief said that Indonesia was more ready now to anticipate land fire due to the impact of El Nino compared to 1997. Beside the cooperation and anticipation through the strengthening of Concerned Citizens for Land Fires (MPA), Indonesia also conducted the law enforcement.
"Unlike in 1997, our preparation now is better, especially fire management cooperation in all provinces," Arief said on Wednesday.
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicted that El Nino would be in range of weak to moderate level this year. The sea surface temperatures in Pacific Ocean showed the same phenomenon with El Nino 1997. Indonesia will experience drought and dry season.
Impact of El Nino 1997 in Indonesia was very wide, such as drought, land and forest fires, food crisis, energy crisis and increasing economic and political crisis. Forest areas and peatlands were burned up to 2.12 million hectares.
National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) with ministries and related agencies have carried out anticipation in nine provinces in Indonesia, namely North Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and Southeast Kalimantan.
Head of BNPB, Syamsul Maarif said that BNPB had prepared 355 billion IDR to anticipate land and forest fires. There are currently three helicopters, namely Bolco, Kamov dan Sikorsky, which have been deployed in Riau to put out the fire and smoke.
Weather modification with Casa and Hercules aircraft is still in operation. Medium helicopter MI-8 was placed in Palembang and Palangkaraya. A total of 2,500 military personnel and police officers are ready to be mobilized in emergency condition.
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