East Java Police Deploy Support Troops to Tackle Forest and Land Fires in Nine Areas
Surabaya (ANTARA) – The East Java Regional Police have deployed operational support personnel for a week to strengthen efforts to tackle forest and land fires in nine areas.
“Based on the latest situation, there are still several hotspots that need to be extinguished. We hope the presence of personnel on the ground will strengthen the response and ensure it is swift and well-targeted,” East Java Police Chief Inspector General Dekananto Eko Purwono said on Wednesday after leading a briefing for the support forces at the regional police headquarters.
Monitoring shows that forest and land fires are still occurring in nine areas of East Java. Although the number of fires has fallen and some are relatively small, preventive measures are being reinforced to avert further outbreaks.
Dekananto said the personnel’s deployment would focus not only on extinguishing fires, but also on prevention and support for law enforcement in cases of suspected forest or land burning that meet the threshold for criminal offences.
He instructed his officers to map fire locations accurately and strengthen cross-sector coordination with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), local governments and other relevant parties.
“In line with the President’s instructions and the emphasis from the National Police Chief, efforts to tackle forest and land fires in East Java must be maximised. Although the number of hotspots has fallen, we must not let our guard down, as new fires remain a very real possibility during the dry season,” Dekananto said.
The East Java Police chief also stressed the importance of the safety and health of personnel working in the field. Field commanders were asked to ensure officers were ready and to check all safety equipment before they entered fire zones.
Personnel were also instructed to report developments at each location regularly, to inform assessments and decisions on subsequent response measures.
The support forces will be deployed for seven days, until 27 October 2026. Once the assignment ends, East Java Police will assess the situation and decide on next steps, including whether to redeploy personnel or increase forces if necessary.
“As I always remind you, the police must be closer to the people, friendly and of service. Today, you are carrying out a task that benefits the community. I wish you well in your duties, and may Allah SWT grant us all health and safety,” Dekananto said.