Dairi to Build Command Centre Using Additional Fiscal Transfers to Anticipate Forest Fires

The Dairi Regency Government plans to build a Command Centre as a disaster management coordination hub. During an assistance session for the management of additional Transfer to Regions (TKD) funds on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, the plan was appreciated by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Task Force for Accelerated Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR). The need is considered relevant as Dairi Regency faces hydrometeorological disaster threats, including recurring forest and land fires in the Silalahi forest area. In recent years, fires have almost always occurred during the dry season. In July 2025, a fire swept through approximately 10 hectares of vegetation in Paropo Village. A year earlier, a fire destroyed around 52 hectares of land in Silalahi 2 and Silalahi 3 villages. Previously, fires were also recorded burning about 14 hectares of land in 2021 and around 7 hectares of protected forest in Paropo Village in 2019. Dairi Regent Vickner Sinaga revealed that the Command Centre is designed to be simple yet capable of supporting rapid cross-agency coordination during emergencies. Its function is as a patrol centre for identifying potential forest and land fire threats and for disseminating prevention information. ‘It is enough to just station fire extinguishers at the location and use containers that can be easily mobilised,’ said Vickner. According to him, the success of disaster management is largely determined by the speed of receiving information, making decisions, and deploying personnel and equipment to the affected location. ‘In a disaster, the keyword is speed,’ he said. Therefore, he believes schools have an important role in instilling a culture of vigilance from an early age through various educational activities and disaster simulations. ‘The word alert must be cultivated in schools,’ stressed the Sidikalang-born regent. In addition to strengthening the command system, the Dairi Regency Government is also undertaking various mitigation efforts to reduce disaster risk. One such effort is a tree-planting movement in landslide-prone areas and water catchment zones. ‘We have planted 130,000 protective trees in our villages to prevent disasters,’ Vickner said. The Head of Sub-directorate for Regional Budget Planning I at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Fernando H. Siagian, assessed that this disaster mitigation effort aligns with Circular Letter Number 900.1.3/1084/SJ concerning the Adjustment of Fiscal Year 2026 Transfers to Regions in the Regional Budgets of Disaster-Affected Areas in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra Provinces. The circular states that in non-disaster situations, funds can be used for disaster management planning, risk reduction, prevention, integration into development planning, risk analysis requirements, implementation and enforcement of spatial planning, education and training, and technical standard requirements for disaster management. Meanwhile, in situations with potential for disaster, the funds can be used for preparedness, early warning, and mitigation. However, Fernando reminded that strengthening preparedness is not only achieved through the construction of supporting facilities or command systems, but also by enhancing community capacity to understand the steps to take when facing emergency situations. Therefore, the education sector is considered one of the important instruments for building a culture of disaster awareness from an early age. By utilising the education budget, the Dairi Regency Government has the scope to integrate disaster-related materials in schools. ‘The education budget is mandatory, so 20 percent is allocated. This is already mandated by law. So just convey this to the Education Office regarding the disaster theme,’ Fernando said. According to him, disaster education not only aims to increase students’ knowledge but also to shape a culture of vigilance so that the community has the ability to respond to disasters quickly and appropriately when an emergency occurs. The Dairi Regency Government’s initiative, along with support from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Satgas PRR, aligns with the message of Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, who has asked all regional governments to prepare for the impacts of El Niño at the peak of this year’s dry season, which could trigger forest fires and water crises. ‘The National Disaster Management Agency cannot work alone; it must be supported by all regions and all forces. Also involve village heads to carry out prevention so that fires do not occur, and if they do, they can be dealt with immediately,’ Tito said on Monday, 29 June 2026. The assistance session, held at the Dairi Regent’s Pendopo, was attended by officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Satgas PRR, and regional apparatus. Also present were the Secretary of the Directorate General of Regional Finance, Maurits Panjaitan, and the Media Coordinator of the National Satgas PRR Post, Kastorius Sinaga.