Govt allocates Rp5.5 bln for forest fire mitigation in West Kalimantan

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2 hours ago

Pontianak, West Kalimantan (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has allocated Rp5.5 billion (approximately US$312,000) from Ministry of Forestry’s special allocation fund to bolster efforts in mitigating forest and land fires in West Kalimantan.

“The funds are designated for the regional Environment and Forestry Office to strengthen integrated fire mitigation efforts, which encompass aerial and ground operations, peatland rewetting, law enforcement, and prevention,” Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said here on Saturday.

In addition to the fund, the government will coordinate with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the House of Representatives (DPR) to secure extra operational budgets for upgrading fire mitigation infrastructure.

Antoni noted the government is mobilising all available resources to control the blazes, including implementing weather modification operations in the coming days.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), potential rain clouds are forecast over West Kalimantan from September 4 to 8, which will be utilised to improve moisture levels and raise the water table in the affected areas.

The government is also escalating water-bombing operations targeting fires in remote locations inaccessible by land. The efforts will be bolstered by three Chinook helicopters provided by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

“The aerial operations will focus on critical areas, including Lake Sentarum, which shares a direct border with Sarawak, Malaysia, to prevent the fires from spreading further,” Antoni added.

Meanwhile, ground operations involve a joint force comprising the military, national police, the Forestry Ministry’s Manggala Agni firefighter brigade, regional disaster agencies, and local volunteers.

Personnel mapping is being conducted down to the district and sub-district levels to ensure targeted and effective deployment.

Furthermore, the government has prepared specialised mitigation tactics for peatlands, utilising injection techniques to thoroughly saturate subsurface soil layers and extinguish deep-seated embers.

Antoni stressed the physical efforts are reinforced by strict law enforcement against those responsible for illegal burning, targeting both individuals and corporations.

That is coupled with public education campaigns urging communities to abandon slash-and-burn land-clearing practices.

“Through financial support and the strengthening of integrated operations, the government hopes to accelerate the containment of forest fires in West Kalimantan while preventing new hotspots from emerging,” he concluded.