Antara 18 Sep 18;
Ponorogo, East Java (ANTARA News) - A forest area located on the slope of Mount Sadran in Broto Village, Slahung Sub-district, Ponorogo District, East Java, was razed by a wildfire on Monday evening.
The forest area, belonging to the State Forestry Company, Perhutani, was located in West Ponorogo, second inspector Satrio Teguh, spokesman of the Ponorogo Police, stated here, Tuesday.
A joint team, comprising military and police personnel, local fire fighters, and volunteers, immediately rushed to the location to put out the fire on Monday evening, he stated, adding that the fire was successfully extinguished.
The cause of the fire was unknown, but the blaze destroyed at least one hectare area of teakwood forest owned by local farmers and 0.015 hectare of forest area belonging to Perhutani.
The ongoing prolonged drought has caused water shortage in several regions, such as in the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Java, and triggered fires in forest areas, particularly in Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra.
On Java Island, wildfires were earlier reported to have razed forest areas located on the slopes of Mount Sindoro in Central Java Province, Mount Lawu in the border of the provinces of Central and East Java, Mount Argopuro in East Java Province, and Mount Sumbing and in Central Java.
Wildfires on Mount Sumbing, located in Temanggung District, has spread to a wider area, according to Gito Walngadi of the local disaster mitigation office, recently.
On Sunday, the fires were detected in five locations, measuring a total of 490.9 hectares on Mt Sumbing, he stated.
Nearly 170 personnel were deployed to extinguished the fires. A helicopter was also used to assist in the efforts on Monday.
Reporting by Louis Rika/Siswowidodo
Editing by Yosep Hariyadi
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
