Central Kalimantan Police Deploy 7,000 Combined Personnel to Mitigate Forest and Land Fires

Palangka Raya (ANTARA) - The Central Kalimantan Regional Police (Polda Kalteng) has deployed 7,000 combined personnel to optimise mitigation of forest and land fires (karhutla). “We have conducted a troop assembly to ensure the readiness of personnel and mitigation infrastructure,” said Central Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Iwan Kurniawan in Palangka Raya on Monday. He revealed that the 7,000 personnel consist of combined forces from the National Police (Polri), Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government, and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). The combined personnel have been instructed to conduct routine patrols in areas prone to karhutla. Additionally, monitoring via aerial routes is being maximised to reach hard-to-access points. Iwan also urged all involved personnel to immediately handle any fire hotspots to prevent them from spreading to other lands, which could endanger public lives. “Strengthen communication among personnel so that when fire hotspot information is received, officers act immediately,” he stated. Iwan also called on the entire community not to clear land by burning. His side invited all elements, including community leaders, religious figures, youth, and mass media, to participate in socialising karhutla prevention. Meanwhile, Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran affirmed his side’s readiness to optimise karhutla mitigation by prioritising early prevention efforts. “We have carried out cross-sectoral synergy with Polda, the Kodam military command, and others to jointly prevent karhutla,” he explained. The provincial government through the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) continues to coordinate with various parties, including the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), to monitor environmental developments and adjust area status designations to support rapid handling in the field.