Khofifah urges all parties to prepare for prolonged dry season and forest fires
The dry season is approaching, let’s anticipate potential disasters together starting now.
Surabaya (ANTARA) - East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has urged all parties to increase readiness in facing the prolonged dry season in 2026 and the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla) through measured and coordinated mitigation steps.
“The dry season is coming soon, potential disasters that could occur, let’s anticipate them together starting now,” said East Java Governor Khofifah during the Coordination Meeting on Handling Hydrometeorological Impacts and the Potential for a Prolonged Dry Season 2026 in Surabaya on Tuesday.
In the forum, the East Java Governor emphasised the importance of early mitigation and anticipation measures.
She asked all regional heads to proactively prepare action plans, map vulnerable areas, and ensure targeted clean water distribution and strengthened fire point monitoring.
“The materials from the speakers are very detailed, regents/mayors can immediately carry out a plan of action, proactively mapping their areas without waiting for disasters to occur,” she said.
Data shows that 92 to 97 percent of disasters in East Java in the 2022–2025 period were hydrometeorological disasters.
In the first quarter of 2026, 121 disaster events were recorded, dominated by strong winds and floods, impacting fatalities and tens of thousands of affected families.
“Our response must not be ordinary and merely reactive, but measured, quick, and data-based,” said Governor Khofifah.
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts that the 2026 dry season in East Java will begin in May, peaking in August with a duration of 220–240 days in several seasonal zones.
This condition increases the risk of drought that could trigger karhutla and pressure agricultural productivity.
Measures taken include an early warning system (Early Warning System/EWS), rapid land and air responses, land rehabilitation, and law enforcement.
Meanwhile, drought mitigation focuses on strengthening water management through reservoirs and weirs, mapping vulnerable villages, clean water distribution, borehole construction, and pump irrigation to support the agricultural sector.
Deputy for Systems and Strategies of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Raditya Jati appreciated East Java’s preparedness, including the successful mitigation during the 2025 Semeru eruption with no fatalities.
“East Java is an example, let’s increase the pre-disaster budget, expand mitigation and prevention,” he said.