Peatland Firefighting Efforts Continue in Kubu Raya

The Forest and Land Fire Control Brigade (Dalkarhutla) of the Kubu Raya Forest Management Unit (KPH) is continuing to battle forest and land fires in Rasau Jaya Umum Village, Kubu Raya Regency. The fire is located in a peatland area on the border with Kuala Dua Village.

Florensius Loren, Head of the Dalkarhutla Brigade for the Kubu Raya KPH, stated that the characteristics of peatland pose the main challenge, as the fire burns not only on the surface but also spreads to the underground layers, requiring a much longer time to extinguish. “The extinguishing process is quite difficult because the land is dominated by peat. We are continuously striving to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas,” he said on Monday.

As of Sunday, firefighting efforts were still ongoing. Loren noted that field obstacles include a distant water source, which drains personnel energy when transporting equipment. Additionally, the limited number of delivery hoses means they cannot yet reach the fire spots located at the far end of the area.

The high intensity of the firefighting operations has also affected the equipment. The pumps, which are operated continuously, have started to experience a decline in performance due to high operational hours during the handling of the fire.

Loren appealed to the public not to clear land by burning, as this can trigger fires that are difficult to control, especially in peatland areas that are highly flammable during the dry season. He explained that fires on peatland are generally only completely extinguished after high-intensity rainfall. The conditions also cause smoke to persist longer, potentially disrupting community activities and air quality. He expressed hope that the firefighting efforts, conducted jointly with various agencies, volunteers, and combined teams, can quickly bring the situation under control to minimise the impact on the environment, public health, and residents’ activities.