South Kalimantan urged to step up forest fire control

hartono · Aug 19, 2026

South Kalimantan urged to step up forest fire control

Deputy Food Affairs Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq (left) extinguishes a forest fire in the first ring of the Pengayuan area in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, Tuesday (Aug. 18, 2026). ANTARA/HO-Dishut Kalsel

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Food Affairs Ministry urged South Kalimantan to mobilize more resources to control forest and land fires as extreme weather and worsening drought increase fire risks.

Deputy Food Affairs Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq made the call in Banjarbaru on Wednesday after leading a strategic coordination meeting on fires in Pengayuan on Tuesday (Aug. 18).

The meeting reviewed projected hotspots and the need for broader resource mobilization to anticipate drought conditions expected to persist for some time, he said.

“Forest and land fires cannot be tackled piecemeal. They require coordinated efforts involving the central and local governments, security forces, communities, and businesses,” he said.

After the meeting, Hanif and a joint team traveled to a detected hotspot in Banjarbaru's Pengayuan area to directly help extinguish fires as part of the emergency response.

Joint personnel worked to prevent the fires from spreading, prioritizing areas near residential communities, surrounding environments, and infrastructure.

South Kalimantan Forestry Agency Head Fathimatuzzahra said her agency was ready to strengthen cooperation and intensify fire-control efforts with all stakeholders.

“Successful fire control depends on close cooperation among government, security forces, businesses, and communities. Coordination with the central government will remain strong,” she said.