BNPB Admits Using Residents' Ponds for Forest Fire Suppression, Claims Communication Established

A helicopter video showing water being extracted from a resident’s pond for forest and land fire (karhutla) suppression in Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan, has gone viral on social media. In the footage, the pond owner can be seen signalling the helicopter not to take water from their location.

The Acting Head of the Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Centre of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Berton SP Panjaitan, acknowledged the concerns regarding the use of residents’ ponds for fire management. However, he maintained that utilising pond water is highly effective for extinguishing fires on burnt land.

“We have established communication on a familial basis with the owner of the pond, and moving forward, we will prioritise communication and coordination at the field level before pond water is utilised,” he stated during an online press conference on Sunday (30/08/2026).

It is reported that the BNPB has currently deployed 53 aerial units for fire management across six priority provinces. Of these, 13 units are dedicated to weather modification operations, while 34 units are assigned to water bombing.

Throughout Saturday (28/08/2026), the BNPB conducted water bombing operations involving a total of 3.2 million litres of water. These operations took place in Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.

Previously, social media footage showed a resident expressing reluctance to allow water bombing helicopters to take water from their fish pond in the Banjar Regency area. The pond contains fish, and the water levels are essential for maintaining supply during the dry season.