Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs emphasises land-based task forces as key to controlling forest fires

The Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, General (Ret.) Djamari Chaniago, has emphasised that land-based task force operations are the key to controlling forest and land fires (karhutla), as every hotspot must be extinguished immediately before it expands.

“All task forces must increase land operations and not rely on aerial fire suppression as the primary method for controlling fires,” he stated during an inspection of fire prevention efforts in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Saturday.

According to the Minister, hot weather conditions cause fires to spread more rapidly, making the speed of personnel on the ground a critical factor in preventing fires from developing into larger-scale disasters.

“No matter how small the fire, it must be extinguished immediately through ground patrols, because once a fire has grown and spread, handling it becomes more difficult and requires the support of water-bombing helicopters,” he said.

He also warned officers against becoming overconfident once a fire appears to be extinguished, noting that the process is not complete until thorough cooling measures have been implemented.

In addition to strengthening field operations, he emphasised the importance of enhancing inter-agency coordination and promptly reporting any shortages in personnel, equipment, or other needs to the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

He called upon local governments to exert their best efforts by strengthening coordination to ensure that every fire incident can be handled quickly, effectively, and in a controlled manner.

Furthermore, he asserted that the safety of task force personnel must be the top priority, ensuring that every operation is managed by field leaders who account for fire conditions, wind direction, and other technical aspects.

“The bottom line is that there must be no casualties; prioritise the safety of the officers in the field,” concluded Djamari.