Indonesian disaster management authorities are ramping up both ground and air operations to tackle escalating forest and land fires driven by dry weather and shifting climate patterns. According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), mitigation efforts focus primarily on high-risk provinces including Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.
Ground Task Forces Take Lead in Fire Suppression
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago emphasized that ground task force operations serve as the primary line of defense in controlling forest and land fires. According to Chaniago, response teams must extinguish every hotspot immediately before it spreads across larger areas.
“All task forces must step up ground operations and not rely on aerial firefighting as the primary effort to control the fires,” Chaniago stated while inspecting fire control efforts in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan. He noted that hot weather causes fires to spread rapidly, making swift action by ground personnel critical.
Chaniago instructed teams to continuously douse burnt areas using all available water sources until no glowing embers remain, particularly on peatlands where fires can smolder underground. He also underscored the safety of task force personnel as the top priority, directing field commanders to evaluate wind direction and technical factors before deploying teams.
Air Support and Weather Modification Deployment
To complement ground suppression efforts, the BNPB has deployed air resources, including patrol helicopters and water-bombing aircraft. According to BNPB Head Suharyanto, aerial units drop water mixed with chemical agents to extinguish stubborn flames quickly.
Authorities are also deploying weather modification technology to induce artificial rain over dry regions. This technology aims to wet peatlands proactively and suppress potential fire outbreaks, a method previously utilized during drought responses in 2020.
Strict Enforcement Against Private Land Burning
Government officials have issued stern warnings to commercial entities regarding land clearing practices. According to Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya, authorities will immediately issue formal warnings to private companies if hotspots are detected on their concessions.
Meanwhile, regional officials, including ministers coordinating security affairs, have urged local governments in Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan to halt the issuance of new permits for land burning. Officials stress that cross-agency coordination between local governments, the military, the police, and disaster agencies remains essential for containing the crisis.
Climate Drivers and Risk Projections
The escalation in fire risks aligns with warnings from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). According to BMKG forecasts, a weakening La Nina transitioning into neutral and potentially weak El Nino conditions has triggered a decline in rainfall across key regions in Kalimantan and Sumatra.
Authorities note that reduced rainfall levels elevate the potential for hotspot development, mirroring conditions seen during severe fire seasons in past years. BNPB and environmental ministries continue to maintain high alert levels across vulnerable provinces to mitigate widespread ecological and economic damage.
Worth a look