Central Kalimantan Optimises Air and Ground Task Forces to Tackle Forest Fires

The Central Kalimantan provincial government is optimising both air and ground task forces in operations to handle forest and land fires occurring in the region. Governor Agustiar Sabran stated in Palangka Raya on Monday that monitoring and rapid response efforts are being continuously carried out. In the current operations, four air task force teams have been deployed, alongside sixteen ground teams. Ten of these ground teams are directed to the Tumbang Nusa area, one to Kameloh Baru, one to Kalampangan, and four are stationed at the command post. Additional teams have also been deployed to support a joint operation specifically focused on Tumbang Nusa to strengthen extinguishing and follow-up efforts. Head of the Regional Disaster Management and Fire Service (BPBPK) of Central Kalimantan, Ahmad Toyib, added that the fire handling is being conducted in an integrated, rapid, and sustainable manner. He explained that this is crucial because most of the fire locations are on peatlands, which can harbour embers beneath the surface. Toyib elaborated that extinguishing visible flames is not enough; the efforts must include wetting, cooling, and isolating the area to ensure no embers or hotspots reignite. According to updated data released by the Central Kalimantan Emergency Forest and Land Fire Command Post as of 9 August 2026, there have been 1,333 disaster incidents recorded since 1 January, with 1,114 of these being land and forest fires covering an area of 2,237.73 hectares. Handling efforts are ongoing through cross-sector synergy involving support from the central government, provincial and district/city governments, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the National Police, and the community.