NAMA: FARIZ KUSMADITYA

CLASS: XI IPS 6
THEME: KEMARAU

The dry season is synonymous with dry season and water scarcity. Indonesia has two
seasons, namely the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season is the season between
April – October. This year's dry season was observed to be drier compared to previous years
due to El-Nino. This situation also increases the risk of forest and land fires, scarcity of water
sources, and exacerbates air pollution in a number of big cities. A number of areas are
observed to be experiencing severe drought, even though the dry season has not yet reached
its peak. However, since June, drought has hit a number of areas. Residents find it difficult to
find sources of clean water, rice fields are dry, and river and reservoir water levels have
receded. Based on data from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency
(BMKG), areas that have experienced drought include a number of areas in southern Java
and Madura. "The community is advised to be vigilant and careful about drought which can
impact the agricultural sector with a rain-fed system, reduced availability of groundwater and
land fires," said BMKG Deputy for Climatology Herizal. Forest and land fires have occurred
in a number of areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The hot weather made the extinguishing
process even more difficult. In Aceh, for example, at least 39.5 hectares of land were burnt,
some of which were peatlands that had been planted with community oil palm. Head of the
BMKG Data and Information Section for the Blang Bintang Meteorological Station, Zakaria
Ahmad, said that the strong winds also accelerated the movement of the fire. Data from the
Operations Control Center for Disaster Management for Central Kalimantan Province shows
that there have been at least 64 incidents of fires since January. Of the 64 incidents, 112.4
hectares of forest and land were burned. In Sungai Segajah Jaya Village, Rokan Hilir, Riau,
60 hectares of land caught fire. In Jambi, more than 45 hectares of land burned and more
than 77 percent in community gardens and the rest in forests.
The threat of fires, especially in Merangin and Batanghari Regencies, is increasing. "The
rains have not rained in these areas for 21-30 days," said BMKG Data and Information
Section Head Sultan Thaha Jambi Kurnianingsih.