The threat of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Tasikmalaya City is mostly triggered by human activities rather than natural factors. The habit of burning trash to carelessly throwing away cigarette butts is considered to be the trigger for land fires during the dry season.
The Acting (Plt) Chief Executive of the Tasikmalaya City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Komarudin, said that most of the fire potential faced by his region does not originate from forest areas, but rather from dry lands located around residential areas.
According to him, this condition makes prevention efforts more directed toward changing public behavior rather than managing forest areas.
“What is becoming the main concern in Tasikmalaya City is actually land fires. Therefore, we continue to remind the public not to carry out activities that have the potential to trigger fires,” he said, Friday, July 3, 2026.
Komarudin explained that the practice of burning trash is still quite frequently found in various regions. In fact, during the dry season, fire from such burning can easily spread to grass, bushes, or drying vacant land.
In addition, he said, the habit of carelessly throwing away cigarette butts is also considered high risk. Cigarette butts that still leave glowing embers can trigger a fire when they fall into an area filled with dry vegetation.
“Things that seem trivial actually often become the beginning of a fire. The community needs to be more careful, especially when weather conditions are hot and dry,” he said.
He also highlighted that there are still land management practices carried out by burning vegetation residue after logging. This method, which is commonly used to clear land, is considered dangerous because the fire can quickly expand if left uncontrolled.
To suppress this risk, his party is strengthening education to the public through various socialization activities. Material on the prevention of forest and land fires is now routinely delivered in every disaster-related activity, both those held by BPBD and at the request of the community, companies, and other institutions. These efforts will also be strengthened through collaboration with related agencies.
