Nusantara Capital Officials Push for More Fire Prevention Patrols

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority Head Basuki Hadimuljono has asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to step up ground patrols and rapid response measures to prevent forest and land fires from spreading into the IKN area.

“We request that the East Kalimantan Police Chief and the TNI increase personnel for ground patrols. With this reinforcement, we hope potential hotspots can be quickly detected and addressed before they expand,” Basuki said on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

He emphasized that prevention is key to ensuring fires do not escalate and threaten the strategic IKN zone. Basuki said increasing patrol personnel is necessary to strengthen on‑the‑ground monitoring.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is also preparing aerial support to accelerate response efforts when fires are detected. BNPB Head Suharyanto said the agency has deployed water‑bombing helicopters to help extinguish fires and prevent them from spreading.

He noted that aerial support is tailored to the conditions and needs of each region. Suharyanto also urged the optimal use of firefighting equipment already distributed to local authorities.

This applies to all relevant parties, including the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), the TNI, the Forestry Ministry’s Manggala Agni brigade, fire‑aware community groups, and the IKN Authority.

“The distributed equipment must be used immediately and can be utilized collaboratively by capable entities,” he said.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the increase in hotspots in East Kalimantan serves as a warning. According to ministry data, the province currently has 72 hotspots.

Although hotspots do not always indicate active fires, Minister Raja Juli stressed that each one must be verified on the ground using drones. “This trend is a warning for us to be more vigilant in protecting our areas and land,” he said.

Controlling fires in East Kalimantan is urgent given the region’s proximity to the new national capital. President Prabowo Subianto has issued directives to prevent fires from reaching IKN’s core zone.

Measures such as increased patrols, hotspot verification, ground operations, and aerial water‑bombing continue to be carried out to stop fires early and prevent them from spreading. (Misni Parjiati)