Central Kalimantan optimises ground and air firefighting to tackle forest and land fires
Palangka Raya (ANTARA) - The Central Kalimantan provincial government, together with cross-sector partners, is optimising firefighting operations via land and air routes to tackle forest and land fires (karhutla) in the region.
“The collaboration of land and aerial firefighting represents the government’s effort to optimise the control of forest and land fires,” said Ahmad Toyib, Head of the Central Kalimantan Disaster Management and Firefighting Agency (BPBPK), in Palangka Raya on Monday.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has provided support in the form of two water-bombing helicopter units. In total, four helicopters are operating to support fire response, with the other two units serving as patrol helicopters.
The water-bombing helicopters have been operating in Central Kalimantan since 7 July 2026. Aerial firefighting support has been carried out at several fire locations, including Tumbang Nusa in Pulang Pisau Regency, Bukit Tunggal sub-district in Palangka Raya city, and Eka Bahurui and Soren villages in East Kotawaringin (Kotim) Regency.
During operations in Central Kalimantan up to 12 July 2026, water bombing has been carried out at these locations, using a total of 2.36 million litres of water.
Toyib, who also serves as Daily Commander of the Central Kalimantan Forest and Land Fire Emergency Command Post, explained that based on data monitored by the Karhutla Crisis Command Post at the provincial disaster management operations centre (Pusdalops PB), fire incidents increased in July 2026.
“But so far, the response carried out by the Fire Command Post, at the provincial as well as regency and city levels, remains relatively under control,” he said.
Among the notable fire locations, the fire in Tumbang Nusa, Pulang Pisau, is still being handled and has been successfully blocked by the land and air teams.
Previously, Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran affirmed that the provincial government, together with cross-sector partners, is making every effort to prevent and tackle forest and land fires, including through disaster mitigation measures such as stepping up education and patrols.
“We are working in synergy with the TNI-Polri, volunteers and others to jointly optimise the handling of forest and land fires,” he explained.
Based on data from 1 January 2026 to 12 July 2026, hotspots in Central Kalimantan reached 2,446 points. The estimated burned area based on field reports from regencies and cities to the provincial operations centre is 660.12 hectares, while the estimate based on Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS satellite imagery overlaid with hotspot distribution data, ground checks and firefighting by the Manggala Agni brigade (Ministry of Environment and Forestry) is 2,915.11 hectares.