Government extinguishes 1,516 hectares of forest and land fires in three days
The government, alongside relevant agencies, has successfully extinguished approximately 1,516 hectares of a total 1,845 hectares of burnt land within three days (28-30 September) as part of an effort to accelerate the handling of forest and land fires (karhutla).
The Head of the Bureau of Public Relations, Data, and Information of the Coordinating Ministry for Politics and Security, Brigadier General TNI Honi Havana, stated that this achievement demonstrates that firefighting efforts by the BNPB and related elements averaged more than 500 hectares per day.
“From a total burnt area of 1,845 hectares, approximately 1,516 hectares have been successfully extinguished. This means that over these three days, the BNPB and all elements involved in the firefighting efforts extinguished an average of more than 500 hectares per day,” Honi said during a press conference by the Forest and Land Fire Management Coordination Desk in Jakarta on Thursday.
“Essentially, we all share a single goal: to tackle forest and land fires effectively and efficiently through the synchronisation of central and regional governments,” he added.
According to him, synergy is required so that the capabilities of personnel and equipment from every element can be utilised collectively, making the response more effective and efficient compared to working in isolation.
In terms of personnel deployment, the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) provided the largest number of personnel, with 14,258 members. Equipment support was provided by the Ministry of Defence and the three branches of the TNI, including fire pumps, hoses, nozzles, personal protective equipment (PPE), oxygen tanks, masks, drones, backpack pumps, excavators, and other supplies.
Honi noted that the response also involves the National Police (Polri), BNPB, the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Home Affairs, local governments, Manggala Agni, firefighters, BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency), Fire Care Communities, concession holders, and health units assisting affected communities.
As October approaches, Honi stated that some regions are entering the early rainy season, while others are experiencing delays due to the impact of El Niño. Therefore, vigilance against potential forest and land fires remains necessary, particularly in high-risk areas.
“We from the government and other elements will not relax our efforts in tackling forest and land fires,” he said.
Honi emphasised that the government will maintain collaboration between the TNI, Polri, BNPB, the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Home Affairs, local governments, Manggala Agni, and other elements to handle forest fires effectively and efficiently.
“We will exert our maximum effort; this government is serious about ensuring that forest and land fires can be managed well, effectively, and efficiently,” he concluded.