As Many as 321 Fires Hit South Sumatra as Dry Season Threat Grows
- 14 Jul 2026 07:59 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- South Sumatra has recorded 321 forest and land fire incidents that have burned 305.39 hectares through mid-July 2026.
- The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) South Sumatra warned that the number of incidents could continue to rise as the dry season persists.
RRI.CO.ID, Palembang - The threat of forest and land fires in South Sumatra has grown, with 321 incidents burning a total of 305.39 hectares reported through mid‑July 2026. The South Sumatra Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) said that number may still rise as the dry season continues.
Head of Emergency Response at the South Sumatra BPBD , Sudirman, said Banyuasin is the latest subdistrict to be classified as a red zone after its number of fire incidents climbed to 37.
“The five subdistricts now classified as red zones are PALI, Musi Banyuasin, Ogan Ilir, Banyuasin, and Muara Enim. Each has recorded more than 30 forest and land fire incidents,” he said in Palembang on Monday, 13 July 2026.
As reported by Antara, BPBD South Sumatra data show PALI recorded the most incidents, with 57, followed by Musi Banyuasin with 49, Ogan Ilir with 42, Banyuasin with 37, and Muara Enim with 33.
In addition to red zones, BPBD categorized several areas as orange zones, with 15 to 30 incidents. Those areas include OKU with 19 incidents, Palembang City with 18, and OKI and Muratara with 17 each.
Yellow zones, with 1 to 15 incidents, include Musi Rawas and Prabumulih (eight incidents each), OKU Timur (seven), Lahat (five), Lubuklinggau (two), and OKU Selatan (one). Pagar Alam City and Empat Lawang Regency remain green zones, with no reported fire incidents.
Satellite imagery analysis from Sipongi indicates that the burned area in South Sumatra from January through May 2026 reached 305.39 hectares. Sudirman urged the public not to clear land by burning and to report any signs of fire to authorities immediately so responders can act quickly. ***
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