Forest and Land Fires in Ketapang, West Kalimantan: One Reported Dead

A resident has died as forest and land fires (karhutla) hit Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, whilst firefighting efforts continue at several locations by a joint task force. “The victim is thought to have been caught in thick smoke whilst trying to return home. It is likely the victim lost consciousness due to lack of oxygen, and with fire on both sides of the road, the victim died from burns,” said Yunifar Purwantoro, Head of the Ketapang Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), on Wednesday (5/8). He said the victim is suspected to have fallen whilst passing through an area filled with dense smoke, losing consciousness before their body was burned at the scene. In addition to the fatality, BPBD also received a report of an elderly resident who suffered burns and has been evacuated to Dr. Agoesdjam Ketapang Hospital for medical treatment. Yunifar said the forest and land fire situation in Ketapang is not yet fully under control. The joint task force has been conducting firefighting operations since the early hours and redeployed teams to the field in the morning. He said a water-bombing helicopter has begun operations to assist in tackling fires at several priority locations, including the Pelang Village area and Bukit Gunung Skuri in Sungai Laur District, which are of particular concern due to their high vulnerability. BPBD estimates the burned area in Pelang Village has reached more than 40 hectares. Ground firefighting efforts are still hampered by difficulty in obtaining water sources at the fire locations. “The main obstacle in the field is the very limited water sources. Therefore, the water-bombing operation is crucial, especially in locations that are difficult for ground teams to reach,” he said. He expressed hope that the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) could station patrol and water-bombing helicopters at Rahadi Oesman Airport in Ketapang to enable a faster response to forest and land fires. He added that fire hotspots have been found in almost all sub-districts in Ketapang Regency. The public is urged not to clear land by burning and to report any sightings of fire hotspots to the authorities immediately to prevent the fires from spreading further.