West Kalimantan Forest Fires: Joint Team Intensifies Extinguishing Efforts in South Singkawang
A joint team comprising personnel from the South Singkawang Police, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), volunteers and local residents is continuing to intensify efforts to extinguish and cool down forest and land fires (karhutla) in the Singkawang area of West Kalimantan.
This measure was taken following the detection of 11 hotspots spread across the jurisdiction of the South Singkawang Police, with the largest concentration located in Pangmilang sub-district.
South Singkawang Police Chief, First Inspector Dian Edi Sarwono, stated that all joint personnel are still being deployed to a number of strategic locations to control the fire so that it does not spread to residential areas or other productive land.
“In the jurisdiction of the South Singkawang Police, 11 hotspots have been detected. Most of these points are located in Pangmilang sub-district,” said Dian Edi Sarwono in Singkawang on Tuesday (25/8).
Dian explained that the extinguishing process in the field faces considerable challenges. The very dry land conditions due to hot weather, coupled with strong winds, have the potential to accelerate the spread of fire unpredictably.
In addition to focusing on extinguishing the burning fires, officers are also carrying out cooling down procedures on areas that have already been extinguished. This is done to ensure that no embers remain within the peat soil layers or dry leaf litter that could trigger subsequent fires.
“Officers continue to monitor locations that have been extinguished to anticipate the re-emergence of fire spots due to embers still remaining in the land,” he added.
The police have strongly urged the public not to carry out land clearing activities by burning, especially amid the current dry weather conditions. Uncontrolled land burning is considered highly dangerous as it can cause smoke haze that disrupts respiratory health and air quality.
“We understand the community’s need to manage their land, but let us find other, safer methods that do not harm ourselves or others,” Dian stressed.
As a preventive measure, the joint team will increase the intensity of patrols and public awareness campaigns in areas considered prone to forest and land fires. The public is also asked to proactively report any fire spots, no matter how small, to the police, BPBD or local sub-district officials so that handling can be carried out as early as possible before the fire spreads.