September 16, 2026 | 11:53 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is stepping up efforts to contain forest and land fires across the country, expanding its focus beyond the six priority provinces.
The six provinces currently designated as priorities for wildfire management are Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan.
Berton SP Panjaitan, acting head of the BNPB's Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, explained that the proactive measures were taken to prevent the fires from causing wider damage, particularly amid projections of dense haze from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
"We've seen a surge in hotspot activity and smoke intensity in several areas. We urge everyone to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures against airborne pollutants," he said during an online press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Berton noted that firefighting operations now include high-risk areas such as Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park and Mount Butak in East Java, where water-bombing helicopters have been deployed.
Joint firefighting teams are also carrying out intensive operations in several other regions, including North Maluku, Central Java, North Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, Lampung, and Southeast Sulawesi.
To ensure the operations run optimally, the BNPB head has instructed authorities to accelerate the delivery of logistics and improve field data management.
"We are accelerating the mobilization of tools and equipment by ensuring that firefighting gear does not sit idle in warehouses. We are also enhancing and standardizing forest fire data reporting by distinguishing satellite-detected hotspots from actual fire locations," he said.
Berton added that the central government continues to urge local authorities to enforce Presidential Instruction No. 11/2026, which mandates stricter enforcement against land clearing through burning to ensure long-term environmental sustainability.
To address the potential spread of haze, he emphasized that the BNPB regularly urges residents in affected areas to wear masks outdoors to protect their respiratory health.
He noted that collective action and public awareness are vital to containing the fires, calling on people to refrain from activities that could trigger fires, including carelessly discarding cigarette butts.
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