President Prabowo Chairs Forest Fire Response Meeting in W. Kalimantan
President Prabowo Subianto arrived at the Supadio Air Force Base, Kubu Raya regency, West Kalimantan province, on Saturday (08/22). Upon his arrival, the Head of State immediately held a limited meeting with a number of ministers, heads of institutions, and regional government officials to obtain the latest overview regarding forest and land fire (karhutla) situation in Kalimantan.
Initiating the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya reported that several heads of ministries and institutions from the central government, as well as regional government officials had gathered to attend the forest and land fire response meeting.
“Today, Saturday, August 22, 2026, eight heads of ministries and institutions from the central government are present, along with 10 regional government officials, governors, chiefs of regional police, regional military commanders, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BNPD) at the Forest and Land Fire Response Command Post in Kalimantan. We are currently in Pontianak, West Kalimantan,” the Cabinet Secretary stated.
In his opening remarks, the President emphasized that his visit to West Kalimantan aimed to observe the actual conditions on the ground firsthand and receive reports on the latest situation.
“I have come to see the actual conditions. Now, I would like to hear from whoever can give me a presentation on the situation,” the President said.
Presenting the latest situation, Expert Staff to the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Brigadier General (Ret.) Asrianus Bulo conveyed the results of 24-hour hotspot monitoring based on satellite observations. This monitoring detected 198 hotspots with a high confidence level in West Kalimantan.
Bulo further reported 3,100 hotspots with a medium confidence level and 406 with a low confidence level. According to him, the hotspots were primarily located in several regencies in southern and eastern West Kalimantan.
“We report that these hotspots are predominantly located in the Ketapang regency, Kubu Raya regency, and North Kayong regency in the southern sector. In the eastern area, they are found in Sanggau regency, Sintang regency, and Sambas regency,” he explained.
The meeting also presented a forecast of rainfall potential in West Kalimantan. Based on monitoring, light-intensity rain was expected to occur mainly in eastern West Kalimantan, from August 21 to 27, 2026.
The Government had previously conducted weather modification operations (OMC) from August 11 to 18, 2026. The operations were temporarily halted due to insufficient cloud potential.
“We have also coordinated with BMKG, [which has indicated] that the potential [for clouds] will emerge from August 23 to 27, so we will carry out weather modification operations,” Bulo said.
The meeting marked the President’s initial step during his visit to West Kalimantan to directly observe the forest and land fire situation while ensuring that response efforts on the ground are carried out in a coordinated manner. The presence of central and regional government officials at the same command post was also expected to strengthen coordination and accelerate efforts to address forest and land fires in affected areas. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (YA/LW)
