Central Kalimantan Forest Fires Still Not Extinguished, Governor Orders Maximum Handling

Forest and land fires (karhutla) remain a serious problem in Central Kalimantan. A total of 15 fire points have been reported as not yet extinguished, while of the five water bombing helicopters that have been deployed, only three units are still actively operating.

This situation has prompted Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran to request that all available forces be maximised to accelerate the handling of forest and land fires. The air fleet is one of the main concerns, especially for reaching locations that are difficult to handle by land.

“The strength we have must be maximised. For points that are difficult to reach by land, water bombing operations must be optimised so that extinguishing can be carried out more quickly,” Agustiar stressed in Palangka Raya on Saturday, 29 August 2026.

The statement was delivered by Agustiar while leading a coordination meeting on forest and land fire handling at the Jayang Tingang Hall, Central Kalimantan Governor’s Office.

Head of the Central Kalimantan Disaster Management and Fire Department (BPBPK) Ahmad Toyib reported that there are still 15 fire points that have not been successfully extinguished. On the other hand, 10 points that were previously the locations with the most severe conditions have been successfully extinguished.

To accelerate handling from the air, the government has deployed five water bombing helicopter units. However, not all of the fleet can currently be used. Of the five helicopters deployed, three units are still actively operating, while two other units are in the maintenance stage or still waiting for spare parts.

This condition is a concern for the regional government because forest and land fires are still occurring in a number of areas with high vulnerability levels. Agustiar requested that the available air fleet be used effectively by prioritising the locations that most need handling.

“We must look at which points most need intervention from the air. Do not let existing resources not be utilised optimally. Everything must be directed to accelerate extinguishing,” he stressed.

The scale of forest and land fires in Central Kalimantan is also reflected in the number of reported hotspots. Overall, there are 38,916 hotspots in the region.