Three Japanese Chinooks Deployed to Extinguish Forest Fires in West Kalimantan

The Deputy Governor of West Kalimantan, Krisantus Kurniawan, has expressed his gratitude to the Japanese Government for providing ships, personnel, and equipment to assist Indonesia, specifically in West Kalimantan.

Three CH-4CO Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Japan are reinforcing operations to extinguish forest and land fires (karhutla) in West Kalimantan, which is currently facing challenges due to peatland terrain and limited water resources.

Welcoming the arrival of the Japanese vessel JS Kunisaki in Mempawah on Thursday, Krisantus stated that the three helicopters carried by the JS Kunisaki will support aerial firefighting and the transport of logistics to locations that are difficult to reach via land routes.

According to Krisantus, this support is vital because the characteristics of West Kalimantan’s land, particularly the peatlands, make firefighting more difficult. “The fire is not easily extinguished because of the extensive peatlands. The fire can spread underground and is difficult to see with the naked eye,” he said.

In addition to the peatland issues, a shortage of water sources has become a major obstacle in several areas. Many rivers have experienced shrinkage, allowing seawater to enter river flows, making the water saline and difficult to use for firefighting. “We are also lacking water for extinguishing fires, so we have to fetch water from quite distant locations,” he added.

Consequently, the presence of the three CH-47 Chinooks is expected to strengthen aerial firefighting capabilities, especially for reaching hotspots that are difficult to manage using ground fleets. This support is part of the Japan-Indonesia Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission. The JS Kunisaki brought personnel and supporting equipment after an 11-day journey to West Kalimantan.

Alongside the Japanese assistance, Krisantus called on companies holding Land Cultivation Rights (HGU) to take responsibility for preventing and managing forest fires within their concessions. “We expect business actors and HGU owners to participate. Do not just watch. We want everyone to move together to help the government handle forest fires,” he said.

Companies that fail to fulfil their responsibilities in guarding their concession areas will be evaluated in accordance with applicable regulations. Krisantus emphasised that synergy between the government, the TNI-Polri (Military and Police), BNPB (National Disaster Management Agency), local governments, the business sector, and the community is essential to ensure that remaining hotspots are extinguished promptly and do not spread.