Palangka Raya Extends Emergency Response Status for Forest and Land Fires

RRI.CO.ID, Palangka Raya - The escalation of forest and land fires in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, is becoming increasingly concerning, with 174.24 hectares of land reportedly burned since June 2026. In response to the rising number of fires, the Palangka Raya City Administration has extended the emergency response status for the next 29 days.

“The Palangka Raya City Administration, together with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), has extended the emergency response status for forest and land fires and drought. The 29-day extension will be effective from August 11 to September 8, 2026,” Acting Head of the Palangka Raya Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Hendrikus Satriya Budi, said in Palangka Raya on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

He explained that the extension was based on field conditions, including the continued high incidence and potential for fires. In addition, the affected areas have continued to expand, while fire hotspots have begun approaching residential areas.

The increasing intensity of the fires and limited water supplies were also among the considerations behind strengthening the emergency response. The dry season has made several water sources near the fire sites increasingly difficult to access, meaning that firefighting operations require additional personnel and equipment.

According to data from the Palangka Raya BPBD, a total of 195 forest and land fire incidents were recorded between June 1 and August 10, 2026. These fires burned through a total area of 174.24 hectares.

“The increasingly dry land conditions, the distance to several fire locations, and limited resources are the main challenges facing personnel in the field,” explained Budi, as quoted by Antara.

The Palangka Raya City Administration hopes the extension of the emergency response status will strengthen coordination among agencies and facilitate the deployment of personnel. Support for equipment and infrastructure, as well as fire prevention and suppression efforts, is also expected to improve.

The city administration has again urged residents not to clear or open land by burning it. Residents have also been asked to immediately report any fire hotspots they discover so that they can be handled as early as possible before spreading to residential areas.

Budi said the BPBD, together with joint teams and volunteers, continued to allocate personnel and organize response schedules. The measure was taken to ensure that all fire hotspots approaching residential areas could be handled as effectively as possible.

“We are moving to the locations and dividing the schedules with the other teams. Our current focus is on fire hotspots that have approached residential areas,” he said.

The BPBD has urged residents not to open or clear land by burning it. Residents have also been asked to immediately report any fire hotspots or land-burning activities so that they can be addressed at the earliest possible stage and prevented from spreading. ***