Palembang Military Command Establishes Forest and Land Fire Prevention Posts

The Palembang Military District Command (Kodim 0418/Palembang), South Sumatra, has established forest and land fire (karhutla) prevention posts at the sub-district military command (Koramil) level to assist the community in prevention and firefighting efforts across 18 sub-districts.

“In facing the 2026 dry season, which is influenced by El Niño, TNI soldiers at the Koramil Fire Posts have been ordered to monitor areas containing large tracts of empty land, shrubs, and trees, and to carry out various actions to prevent wildfires and conduct firefighting alongside local residents,” said the Commander of Kodim 0418/Palembang, Colonel Arh Erik Novianto, in Palembang on Monday.

He explained that the command is deploying all personnel, including Village Supervisory Officers (Babinsa), to assist the community in both extinguishing fires and implementing prevention measures, particularly in the outskirts of the South Sumatran capital.

In recent weeks, the command has moved swiftly to handle empty land fires alongside the community in several suburban areas.

Furthermore, Babinsa from Kodim 0418/Palembang, working with joint teams, acted quickly to manage a peatland and shrub fire covering approximately 5 hectares in the Karya Jaya area, on the border of Sungai Rambutan, North Indralaya District, Ogan Ilir Regency.

To prevent the recurrence of land fires in that area and elsewhere, the command, alongside relevant authorities, continues to secure locations prone to forest and land fires.

The rapid response of TNI soldiers at the Koramil Fire Posts, alongside joint task forces, to land fires in suburban areas bordering high-risk regencies such as Ogan Ilir and Banyuasin is a vital step in preventing the spread of fires, whose smoke is currently beginning to disrupt public activities and health.

The involvement of TNI personnel and all stakeholders is the primary key to ensuring the city avoids large-scale forest and land fires.