Inp.polri.go.id - Gorontalo. The Gorontalo Regional Police has placed officers and emergency equipment on standby to anticipate the impacts of the El Nino extreme weather phenomenon and forest and land fires across the province.
Gorontalo Police Chief Inspector General Widodo said that prolonged drought driven by El Nino risks triggering fires and clean water shortages.
"We should not assume that because we lack peatlands, forest fires will not occur here as in other regions. In recent days, several hotspots have already emerged in Gorontalo," he said on Monday (3/8/2026).
Following recent hotspot sightings in the region, police leadership inspected 571 joint personnel from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) and Samapta units alongside operational gear, water purification units, and mobile kitchens.
Beyond direct fire suppression, police deployed the Community Guidance Directorate (Ditbinmas) to educate residents on drought mitigation and crime prevention during potential agricultural disruptions. Authorities urged the public to refrain from burning land or waste carelessly due to high temperatures and strong winds accelerating fire risks.
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