September 13, 2011
Karanganyar, Central Java. Authorities in Central Java plan to halt all mountaineering activities on Mount Lawu after several reported incidents of campfires causing widespread forest fires in the area, an official said on Tuesday.
Last month, there were three forest fires around the dormant volcano, one of which has been definitively traced back to a campfire started by climbers.
“This is the dry season. We want to prevent further wild fires by closing [Mount Lawu] to mountaineers. Most of the fires occurred around walking routes favored for mountaineering activities,” said Pangat, a local leader in Gondosuli subdistrict, the main entry point to the mountain.
“I have already sent a letter to the [Gondosuli] subdistrict head and to the local police to close Mount Lawu. The mountain has burned three times already. The last can be traced back to campfires lit by mountaineers.”
Pangat said that during the dry season, bushes and trees became more combustible, adding that even a discarded cigarette butt could kindle a wildfire.
Yopi Eko Jati, the Gondosuli subdistrict head, said he would follow up on Pangat’s letter. “I will discuss this with the head of Karanganyar district. We should also ask Perhutani to look into conditions,” he told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday, referring to the state-owned forestry company which manages part of the area.
Iwan Setiawan, a Central Java forestry official, said wildfires in the area had destroyed much of the forest and compromised its regeneration capacity.
“We lost thousands of pine trees, and the fires damaged ecological functions,” Iwan said. Last month’s fires had destroyed 103 hectares of forest, he added.
The forestry agencies, he said, are educating climbers and locals about the dangers of starting fires in the area. “But it is hard to change their habits.”
( x the JG)
wo 14 sep 2011 - 0:21