Tackling Forest Fires, Deputy Environment Minister Asks Private Sector to Build Canal Blocks
Forest and land fires (karhutla) in West Kalimantan have reached more than 30,000 hectares between January and July 2026. The government is promoting the construction of canal blocks in peatland areas to maintain water availability and assist in tackling fires that are difficult to extinguish down to the lower layers of the land.
Deputy Minister of Environment/Deputy Head of the Environmental Control Agency Diaz Hendropriyono said that handling forest and land fires requires the involvement of the government, the public and the private sector. He asked companies to help build canal blocks, especially in areas where hotspots remain.
“For the private sector, we ask for your cooperation in building canal blocks. This is the most effective method, and I am prioritising its completion at points where fires are still active,” Diaz said in an official statement in Jakarta on Monday (24/8/2026).
Diaz said that tackling forest and land fires cannot rely on a single method. In addition to firefighting, the government is carrying out prevention through a ban on land clearing by burning, fostering Fire-Aware Communities (Masyarakat Peduli Api), and strengthening fire control units and the management of peatland and mangrove ecosystems.
While inspecting a peatland fire site in Limbung Village, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan, on Sunday (23/8/2026), Diaz also gathered a number of private companies to discuss firefighting and prevention efforts.
According to Diaz, canal blocks are needed because fires on peatland can spread to deeper layers. This condition makes extinguishing by watering require a consistent water supply.
“So once the peat is burning, I see the Fire-Aware Communities, Manggala Agni, the police — they find it very difficult to douse the flames because the fire is deep below. So it has to be done with canal blocks. I ask for your help and I appreciate the cooperation,” Diaz said.
During the visit, the Ministry of Environment distributed five units of firefighting equipment and 10 boxes of masks to affected communities in Batu Ampar Village, Kubu Raya Regency. PT Antam Tbk also provided one borehole package and five boxes of medical masks.
Based on data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the area affected by forest and land fires in West Kalimantan has reached more than 30,000 hectares from January to July 2026. The fires have also affected air quality in a number of areas due to smoke haze.