West Kalimantan intensifies efforts to curb forest fires
“The burned area was indicated at around 38,310 hectares. Now, thank God, only about 200 hectares of our land is still on fire,” West Kalimantan Governor Ria Norsan said here on Tuesday.
He said forest and land fire control was one of the main issues discussed with district heads and mayors at the 2026 Governor’s Working Meeting with district heads and mayors across West Kalimantan.
According to Norsan, fire control efforts are being carried out in an integrated manner, involving regional governments, the Indonesian Military Forces (TNI), the National Police, the Manggala Agni Forest and Land Fire Control Brigade, fire awareness communities, firefighting brigades, volunteers, students, and other elements of society.
Besides the shrinking burned area, the number of hotspots in West Kalimantan has also declined significantly, from more than 2,000 previously to around 156 based on the latest monitoring.
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Norsan said the progress reflected the collective efforts of all parties involved in firefighting and fire control operations across various regions.
Nevertheless, he urged all regional governments and joint teams to maintain their efforts, as fires are still occurring in several areas, particularly those that had yet to receive rainfall.
According to him, rain had fallen in some areas, such as Sambas and Ketapang districts, but several other regions still require intensive handling as fires have not been fully extinguished.
Besides the environmental damage, Governor Norsan reminded regional leaders to remain concerned about the health impacts of haze.
“As of September 5, a total of 734 cases of acute respiratory infection (ARI) had been recorded, based on data submitted by regional governments,” he said.
Norsan asked all stakeholders to continue strengthening coordination, both in firefighting and public health protection, to prevent fires from spreading again and to improve air quality as soon as possible.
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Translator: Rendra, Kenzu