Padang, MINA – The West Sumatra Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) announced that two regencies Limapuluh Kota and Solok have declared an emergency status in response to widespread forest and land fires.
“Following a coordination meeting yesterday, Solok Regency and Limapuluh Kota Regency have officially declared a state of emergency for forest and land fires,” said Ilham Wahab, spokesperson for West Sumatra BPBD, in Padang on Tuesday.
Ilham explained that the declaration was made due to the expanding impact of the fires, which have spread extensively across both regencies.
BPBD reported that all districts in Solok Regency have been affected by the fires.
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“All 14 districts in Solok Regency have now been affected by the fires,” Ilham added.
With the emergency status in place, the provincial government will intensify coordination with the National Disaster Management Agency, including the potential request for various forms of assistance if needed.
Regarding the possibility of deploying water bombing or aerial firefighting via helicopters, Ilham noted that neither Solok nor Limapuluh Kota has yet moved toward requesting such methods.
Meanwhile, Hartono, Head of the West Sumatra Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), urged the public to avoid clearing land for agriculture by burning, as it poses a high risk of triggering wildfires.
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“We remind everyone not to open land through burning, as this is highly prone to causing wildfires,” Hartono stated.
BPBD, in collaboration with the provincial Forestry Agency, is continuing to assess the total area of forests and land burned from May to mid-July 2025, as well as compiling data on losses caused by the fires. [Nia]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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