Prabowo Orders Special Attention to Forest and Land Fires in Tanjung Puting

President Prabowo Subianto has called for special attention to efforts to tackle forest and land fires in the Tanjung Puting area of Central Kalimantan. He stressed that the area must be protected seriously because it is a national park.

Prabowo made the remarks while chairing a hybrid meeting on the progress of fire response from Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday (12 October 2026).

“Tanjung Puting National Park is a priority because it is a national park,” Prabowo said, according to the Presidential Secretariat Bureau on Tuesday (13 October).

At the meeting, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) head Suharyanto reported that a new fire had been detected in Tanjung Puting National Park, covering around 513.89 hectares. Response efforts are being carried out by strengthening ground teams, while aerial operations remain hampered by poor visibility caused by thick smoke.

Prabowo also reiterated the importance of strengthening the presence of forest rangers to protect forest areas across Indonesia. He asked that the number and capacity of personnel be increased gradually to make protection and fire prevention more effective.

“That is why, please convey to the Minister for Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform that there is a reason I asked for 70,000 forest rangers: to protect our forests,” Prabowo said.

He also asked the Indonesian National Police to help build the rangers’ capacity. “The National Police Chief can help train the forest rangers,” he added.

At the same meeting, Major General Zainul Arifin, commander of the XXII/Tambun Bungai Military Regional Command, reported on conditions on the ground in Tanjung Puting. He said the fires were scattered across the area, located in swamp land and difficult for vehicles to reach.

One of the main needs on the ground is small water pumps to support firefighting. When the commander said about 50 pumps were needed, Prabowo immediately decided to provide a larger number.

“How many water pumps do you need? 50? I’ll send 200,” he said.

The commander also said a drilling team was needed, as the swamp terrain means water can be reached by drilling to a depth of around 10 to 15 metres. Prabowo then pledged support for the construction of 200 water boreholes, with a budget of Rp2 billion.

“I’ll send Rp2 billion for 200 boreholes,” the President said.

Prabowo asked that local residents also be involved in building the boreholes. He said rapid action on the ground must go hand in hand with stronger prevention strategies to stop the fires from spreading again.