Pertamina provides emergency relief for forest and land fires in West Kalimantan
PT Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Kalimantan, through Refinery Unit (RU) V Balikpapan, has dispatched emergency response assistance for communities affected by forest and land fires (karhutla) in the Sekadau and Kubu Raya Regencies, West Kalimantan.
“We are deeply concerned about the forest and land fires occurring in West Kalimantan. We hope this assistance can help alleviate the burden and meet the basic needs of the community,” said Dodi Yapsenang, Area Manager of Communication, Relations, and CSR at RU V Balikpapan, when contacted from Balikpapan on Monday.
The distributed aid includes clean water for consumption and sanitation (MCK), water tanks, distribution hoses, N95 masks, medicines, and skin ointments.
Dodi explained that the types of assistance were tailored to field conditions, particularly to address the limited access to clean water and to minimise health risks resulting from exposure to haze.
According to data from the West Kalimantan Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the area of burnt land from January to August 2026 has reached approximately 38,310 hectares. Peatland areas are a primary concern as fires persist beneath the surface, requiring intensive handling.
In the distribution process, Pertamina collaborated with Baitul Munzalan Indonesia (BMI) Pontianak, Dompet Umat, and Paragon to ensure that logistics were distributed quickly and accurately to the intended recipients.
“We would like to thank Pertamina for acting swiftly to provide assistance. This is very helpful for the community in facing the impacts of the forest fires,” said Indra Suherman, a representative of BMI Pontianak.
One of the beneficiaries, Ilham Syukron, expressed his gratitude for the aid and hoped that the fire situation would improve soon so that community activities could return to normal.
This emergency response action is part of the implementation of the company’s Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) programme, aimed at supporting community resilience through the fulfilment of basic needs and health protection during periods of emergency.