Forest and Land Fires Besiege Penajam Paser Utara, Over 9 Hectares Scorched

Penajam Paser Utara Regency (PPU), East Kalimantan, is being besieged by forest and land fires (Karhutla) as a result of the El Niño phenomenon and the dry season affecting the region, which serves as a partner area for the Nusantara Capital City (IKN). Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Nurlaila, stated that since 27 January 2026 until 25 July, the number of Karhutla incidents reached 17, with a total burned area of 9.99 hectares. “Even today, there are still reports of Karhutla, so the number of incidents and the extent of the fire damage still have the potential to increase,” she said. Of the 17 Karhutla incidents, the majority occurred in Penajam District with 14 incidents, followed by Babulu District with two incidents and one in Sepaku District. Waru District recorded no incidents. Based on field observations, the Karhutla in PPU were caused by humans, not natural factors. Individuals are taking advantage of the dry season to clear land by burning without taking anticipatory measures to prevent the fires from spreading. Nurlaila urged the public not to clear land by burning, as it could trigger Karhutla. If land clearing is necessary, anticipatory steps must be taken because the weather conditions are quite hot with above-normal temperatures. The BPBD has been disseminating information to the public about the potential and impacts of Karhutla during the dry season, coinciding with the El Niño phenomenon. The most effective response during a Karhutla incident involves a joint team comprising the BPBD, TNI, Polri, the Fire and Rescue Service (DPKP), and other elements, who typically trace the landowner and investigate the cause of the fire. “If it was caused by deliberate burning by individuals, they will be summoned by the police for confirmation and classification,” Nurlaila stated. She confirmed that all equipment and personnel are ready to respond immediately to any Karhutla or residential fires. The agency is also mapping potential water resources to anticipate fires, as water sources dry up during the drought. In addition to tackling Karhutla, the PPU Regency Government has formed a Drought Disaster Management Team involving government agencies, the TNI, Polri, state-owned and regional-owned enterprises, the private sector, and community groups to face the extreme dry season. A coordination meeting was recently held to anticipate the extreme dry season, and the government is currently preparing to declare a state of emergency if natural conditions force the issue. This policy will be based on empirical field references, such as a decrease in raw water discharge, rising temperatures that increase the risk of land and property fires, and weather forecasts from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). Once the emergency status is officially declared, the mobilisation of aid will involve all resource-holding elements, not just autonomous agencies.