The agency detected 56 hotspots in Kutai Timur, six in Kutai Kartanegara, and two in Berau, according to Data Coordinator at the Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman-Sepinggan Balikpapan Station Diyan Novrida.
Speaking in Balikpapan City on Friday, Novrida remarked that the provincial and regional disaster mitigation agencies in the three affected districts had been warned of these potential land and forest fires.
To minimize wildfire risks, Novrida reiterated her call for the locals' active participation in assisting the government's wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts.
She appealed to local residents to avoid reckless activities like burning waste, tossing cigarette butts on the ground, and slash-and-burn land-clearing practices.
Novrida remarked that in Kutai Kartanegara District, the agency detected one hotspot in Samboja Sub-district; one in Sanga-Sanga Sub-district; and four in Muara Kaman Sub-district.
In Kutai Timur District, the agency detected 24 hotspots in Bengalon Sub-district; 16 in Rantau Pulung Sub-district; nine in Kongbeng Sub-district; two hotspots each in the sub-districts of Sangatta Utara, Kaubun, and Muara Wahau; and one in Muara Ancalong Sub-district.
Meanwhile, in Berau District, the BMKG detected two hotspots in Pulau Derawan Sub-district, she stated, adding that all hotspots of wildfire occurrence had a "moderate confidence level."
As compared to East Kalimantan's reports on wildfire hotspots in October, the agency on October 4 detected 252 land and forest fire hotspots in seven districts: Paser, Penajam Paser Utara, Kutai Barat, Kutai Timur, Kutai Kartanegara, Berau, and Mahakam Ulu.
The BMKG detected 105 hotspots in Kutai Kartanegara, 63 in Kutai Timur, 34 in Berau, 26 in Kutai Barat, 19 in Paser, four in Mahakam Ulu, and one in Penajam Paser Utara.
Regarding this week's weather report, Indonesia's BMKG forecast slight rainfall in several areas in East Kalimantan, including Balikpapan, Penajam, Tanah Grogot, and Sendawar.
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Translator: M.Ghofar, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Anton Santoso
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