Five Indonesian Air Force aircraft deployed to Kalimantan to reinforce forest fire operations

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has announced that five Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) aircraft have been dispatched from Abdulrachman Saleh Air Base in Malang to Kalimantan. The additional aircraft are intended to reinforce the 30 National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) aircraft already operating in three affected provinces in Kalimantan.

“On 21 August 2026, this Friday afternoon, five TNI AU aircraft were again dispatched from Abdulrachman Saleh Air Base in Malang to West Kalimantan and East Kalimantan to reinforce the 30 BNPB aircraft already operating in three affected provinces in Kalimantan,” Teddy said on the Cabinet Secretariat’s Instagram account on Friday (21/8/2026).

“The TNI AU has also placed several aircraft on standby at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in Jakarta, ready to move according to BNPB’s needs and the situation on the ground,” he continued.

Teddy said that according to a report from the Head of BNPB, a total of 52 aircraft have been deployed in forest and land fire handling operations in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Six provinces have been identified as having high fire potential: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan.

“Of that number, 30 aircraft are operating in the Kalimantan region and 22 aircraft in the Sumatra region,” Teddy said.

Teddy noted that the additional aircraft are part of the government’s efforts to strengthen forest and land fire handling.

“As well as to reduce the impact of haze, and to protect public safety and environmental sustainability,” Teddy said.