JAYAPURA - The long dry season in Indonesia in 2023 has the potential to make hot spots increase. As a result, forest fires will be very likely to occur, both naturally, and due to human actions through forest encroachment and other things.

For Papua Province, there are four regencies and cities that are wary of potential forest fires. Namely, the City and Regency of Jayapura, Keerom and Sarmi.

The Papua Provincial Forestry Service finally appealed to local communities to start increasing vigilance in controlling forest and land fires, ahead of the dry season this year.

"The point is that through the briefing about the Papua forest and land fire control alert in 2023 at the Kotaraja Autonomous Office Field, Jayapura City, we want to remind all parties, including the local government, the community and related stakeholders to always be vigilant in preventing forest fires in each region," explained the head of the Papua Forestry Service Jan Jap Ormuseray, Monday (31/78/2023).

Still according to Jan Ormuseray, it also aims to carry out an environmental recovery agenda that includes prevention, handling and recovery work. Including rehabilitation and reconstruction that is carried out intensively, continuously and consistently.

In particular, he added, it aims to increase public awareness and involve the community in environmental restoration in accordance with the direction of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

"Because forest and land fire prevention is a routine work carried out by the Central Government and Papua from year to year when entering the dry season. This means that here, we try to anticipate and be aware of symptoms that can cause forest and land fires."

"That's why we also hope that all UPT Ministries and Institutions, National Armed and Police Force, Regional Apparatus Organization and Fire Care Society, as well as company stakeholders and other communities, increase vigilance to control forest and land fires," he said.

It is known that in the agenda, a joint commitment was signed with all parties related to the prevention of forest and land fires in Papua. ***