Indonesia mobilises nearly 500 firms to combat Central Kalimantan wildfires

Following a coordination meeting in Jakarta, Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the state will mobilise nearly 500 plantation and forestry concessionaires in Central Kalimantan for on-the-ground fire suppression. The initiative focuses on areas identified as high risk, especially the provincial capital Palangka Raya and Pulang Pisau District, where teams will survey hotspot clusters, evaluate canal and road access, and locate water sources to determine needed resources.

The model builds on a South Kalimantan pilot that involved about 350 companies protecting 10,000 hectares of farmland and peatland alongside government, military, police and community groups. Gapki Chairman Eddy Martono urged the government to grant proportional legal protection to companies offering voluntary assistance, while APHI Chairman Soewarso highlighted ongoing constraints such as water scarcity, equipment shortages and fuel supply.

In parallel, the Ministry of Forestry scheduled cloud-seeding operations on October 15-16, launching aircraft from Banjarmasin to mitigate haze that has hampered airport visibility. Officials stressed that cross-sector collaboration is essential to safeguard strategic regions, regional economies and Indonesia’s food, water and energy security.