Banjarbaru strengthens forest fire prevention with emergency alert status

The city government of Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, is strengthening measures to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla) and the impacts of drought by establishing an emergency alert status and consolidating resources across various agencies. The initiative is designed to accelerate responses to potential disasters during the 2026 dry season. The heightened preparedness was marked by a Disaster Alert Assembly for Forest and Land Fires and Drought in Banjarbaru City for 2026, held at dr. Murdjani Field on Tuesday. The event served as a momentum to ensure that personnel, equipment, and handling mechanisms are ready to be mobilised quickly, cohesively, and effectively in the event of an emergency. Regional Secretary of Banjarbaru, Sirajoni, stated that disaster preparedness cannot be solely the government’s burden but requires the active involvement of all elements of society to minimise the risks of forest fires and drought from an early stage. “Preparedness is not only the responsibility of the government but is the responsibility of all elements of society. Therefore, the active role of all parties is key in reducing disaster risk,” Sirajoni said. According to him, the establishment of the emergency alert status provides a basis for the local government to optimise cross-agency coordination involving regional apparatus organisations, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), volunteers, and the community in facing the threat of disasters that could potentially increase during the dry season. “Do not wait until a fire grows large before we act,” he stressed. He added that the success of controlling forest and land fires depends heavily on the speed of early detection and response from all parties, so any information regarding hotspots must be immediately verified and addressed before it develops into a larger blaze. The Banjarbaru city government also urged residents not to clear land by burning and to promptly report any discovery of hotspots or conditions that could potentially trigger fires in their surroundings. “Community awareness is an important part of successful disaster control. Through mutual cooperation, good coordination, and effective communication, we hope Banjarbaru can face the dry season with greater readiness and resilience,” he said.