Extreme drought: East Kotawaringin BPBD on alert for water shortages and forest fires
The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Kotawaringin Timur (Kotim), Central Kalimantan, is on alert for the threat of drought as well as forest and land fires (karhutla) during this year’s dry season.
“The entire Kotim region is predicted to experience very dry conditions or extreme drought from July to September 2026. This situation must be a shared concern, particularly regarding the potential for significantly increased forest and land fires,” said the Head of BPBD Kotim, Multazam, in Sampit on Friday.
He explained that this prediction is based on the BMKG climate bulletin for June 2026. The entire Kotim region is expected to experience very dry conditions or extreme drought, with rainfall between 0-20 mm—a category below normal—lasting from July to September 2026.
This is estimated to be influenced by the El Niño phenomenon, which is being strengthened by a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) during this year’s dry season.
According to Multazam, preventative measures are the top priority to suppress the risk of widespread fires. The BPBD has requested that the public refrain from clearing land through burning and instead begin implementing non-burning technologies in both agricultural and plantation activities.
“Do not discard cigarette butts carelessly, because in very dry conditions, even a small flame can trigger a large fire,” he said.
He continued to emphasise this point as incidents of forest and land fires suspected to be caused by intentional acts are still being discovered. In addition to prevention, the BPBD is strengthening surveillance and early detection by activating monitoring posts, increasing routine patrols, and monitoring the development of hotspots detected through satellite monitoring systems and field reports.
Regarding preparedness, the BPBD has urged the public and village governments to prepare backup water sources, create firebreaks, and ensure that firefighting equipment is ready for use at any time.
“N95 masks also need to be prepared in anticipation of haze occurring and affecting public health,” Multazam added.