To keep flames away from Nusantara capital's core zone, land patrols tightened
Penajam Paser Utara (ANTARA) - The Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) has tightened ground patrols and put firefighting personnel and equipment on standby to prevent forest and land fires from approaching the core area of IKN.
Head of OIKN Basuki Hadimuljono, speaking in Sepaku, Penajam Paser Utara, on Tuesday, said patrols have been stepped up at several vulnerable locations, including Bukit Tengkorak in Semoi, which lies within the Bukit Soeharto Grand Forest Park (Tahura).
The forest and land fire location at Bukit Tengkorak is roughly 20–30 kilometres from the IKN Central Government Core Area (KIPP).
“This is part of layered security efforts to prevent the fire from approaching the core IKN area,” Basuki said.
The fires in the Bukit Tengkorak area have been burning since late August and have been handled in part through aerial water bombing using a Caracal helicopter from Air Squadron 8 of Dhomber Air Base in Balikpapan.
Basuki said OIKN has also deployed firefighting personnel with support from Manggala Agni, the National Police (Polri), including the Mobile Brigade (Brimob), and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).
According to him, these security efforts have so far kept air quality in the KIPP and Sepaku in good condition.
A day earlier, on Monday (14/9), Basuki, together with Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto, and elements of the TNI and Polri, inspected Bukit Tengkorak.
The inspection was carried out to ensure the handling of areas affected by the fires and to monitor locations with the potential to reignite.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the IKN area is receiving special attention from the central government in handling forest and land fires.
“The President’s instruction is very clear: the fire must not be allowed to reach the core IKN zone,” he said.
BNPB Head Suharyanto stressed the importance of effective ground patrols, as crews with complete equipment are considered more efficient at extinguishing embers in burned areas.
The handling of fires in the IKN and East Kalimantan region was then evaluated at a coordination meeting at the Sepaku Semoi Dam, discussing personnel readiness, equipment, and strategies to prevent the fires from spreading.
At the meeting, East Kalimantan Regional Police Chief Inspector General Endar reported that as of this week, police have handled 47 fire-related reports and named 19 people as suspects.
The total area of land connected to these cases reaches 2,263 hectares.
According to Endar, investigation results show the fires were mainly motivated by land-clearing activities as well as negligence or accident.
He warned the public and corporations against using burning to clear land.
“I urge all parties involved in land clearing to stop using the burning method. Thank God, so far the situation is still under manageable control. Hopefully it will not get worse,” Endar said.