Indonesia deploys 53 aircraft to fight forest and land fires

hartono · Aug 31, 2026

Indonesia deploys 53 aircraft to fight forest and land fires

Screenshot - Acting Head of the BNPB Center for Disaster Data, Information, and Communication, Berton SP Panjaitan, speaking at a virtual press conference in Jakarta on Thursday (20/8/2026). ANTARA/Tri Meilani Ameliya

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is intensifying ground and air operations to tackle forest and land fires in six priority provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.

Berton SP Panjaitan, Acting Head of the BNPB Communication Center, said ground operations involve patrols and field checks to map hotspots and active fire points.

“We have a two-pronged strategy to tackle these fires. The first is through ground operations,” Panjaitan said in Jakarta on Monday.

According to him, the results of patrols and field checks serve as a basis for personnel to conduct firefighting and subsequent cooling operations after the flames are extinguished.

To ensure water availability at fire sites, the Ground Task Force is also isolating areas and constructing wells and new canals to bring water sources closer to fire spots and hotspots.

BNPB has also begun strengthening surveillance in affected areas to prevent new fires caused by irresponsible parties.

Meanwhile, air operations include patrols, weather modification, and aerial water bombing using helicopters.

Panjaitan noted that 53 aircraft are currently deployed to handle the fires. Of these, 19 are being used for patrols and weather modification operations, while the remaining 34 are deployed for water-bombing operations.

“In priority provinces such as Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan, we are conducting weather modification operations, aerial patrols, and helicopter water bombing,” he said.

One example of coordination between air and ground operations is aerial monitoring in Ketapang District, West Kalimantan.

The monitoring results are relayed to the Ground Task Force to determine appropriate response measures at locations where fires have been detected.

To ensure water availability on the ground, the Ground Task Force continues to carry out canalization, drill borewells, and install water barriers at various locations, making water sources more accessible for firefighting operations.

In addition to water bombing, the Air Task Force is conducting weather modification operations based on the availability of cloud formations suitable for inducing rainfall.

According to Panjaitan, every opportunity to generate rainfall will be utilized as part of efforts to manage forest and land fires.