BNPB Coordinates Integrated Response to Forest Fires in Three East Kalimantan Regencies

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is coordinating an integrated response with regional joint task forces to extinguish forest and land fires (karhutla) in three regencies/cities in East Kalimantan Province. Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Centre, stated on Wednesday that the firefighting efforts are currently focused on Berau Regency, Bontang City, and Paser Regency, which have reported significant fire impacts within the last 24 hours. “The joint teams in the regions moved quickly to carry out an integrated response to extinguish fires burning tens of hectares of land in three areas of East Kalimantan,” he said. Abdul explained that the fire incident in Berau Regency affected the Tumbit Dayak Village area in Sambaliung District, with an estimated two hectares of land burned. The Berau Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Rapid Reaction Team, together with the Ministry of Forestry’s Manggala Agni, the Fire Department, and the local Forest Management Unit (KPHP), were deployed for suppression and cooling operations. Meanwhile, in Bontang City, a land fire covering 3.31 hectares occurred in the area behind KORPRI Block B Housing in Bontang Lestari Village, South Bontang District. Bontang City BPBD personnel and the joint task force deployed several water tanker trucks and manual equipment to tackle hotspots that were initially difficult to reach with fire hoses. The largest fire incident was reported in Paser Regency, where approximately 13 hectares of scrubland were burned in Simpang Batu Village and Lumut Village, Pasir Belengkong District. “Thanks to the rapid response of the field teams, the flames in that area have now been completely extinguished and the situation is declared safe and under control,” he said, confirming there were no casualties in the series of forest and land fire incidents in East Kalimantan and urging the public to remain vigilant and refrain from burning land during this dry season.