Distribusi Spasial Kebakaran Hutan dan Lahan tahun 2020-2024 di Sumatera Utara

Abstract

North Sumatera is highly vulnerable to forest and land fires (Karhutla), which can occur as a result of climate change and human activities. These disasters threaten livehoods and ecosystems, causing loss of life, environmental damage, and economic losses. Fires in North Sumatera, with its diverse forest types, are exacerbated by human activities such as agriculture and land expansion for plantations in anthropogenic zones. A Geographic Information System (GIS) based analysis aims to evaluate the spatial distribution of forest fires from 2020 to 2024, determining their spread based on administrative boundary data, land use, and forest function. Using MODIS satellite data, spatial analysis join, clip, and intersect tools to determine the distribution of hotpots. This study found fluctuation in fire incidents, which peaked in 2020 with 237 hotspots, while human activities in agricultural and plantation areas contributed significantly to the occurrence of fires. This analysis shows that non-forest areas such as Other User Areas (APL) are highly vulnersble to forest and land fires. This study recommends improving remote sensing technology for continuous monitoring of fire-prone areas, with the aim of identifying vulnerable areas and mitigating the risk of future forest fires in North Sumatera.