TNI, police step up night patrols near South Kalimantan's airport

Banjarbaru (ANTARA) - Indonesia's military and police are conducting night patrols to prevent land burning in the ring-one area surrounding Syamsudin Noor International Airport in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.

South Kalimantan Police Chief Inspector General Rosyanto Yudha Hermawan said here Friday that the patrols began Thursday night following a coordination meeting led by the governor and would continue until fires were controlled.

He said the patrols were intended to deter people from deliberately burning land.

Hermawan ordered authorities to prosecute land-burning perpetrators, including those whose negligence resulted in fires.

He acknowledged new hotspots had emerged near Guntung Damar, a main access route to the airport, prompting authorities to strengthen mitigation efforts in priority areas.

The military, police and South Kalimantan Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) have divided firefighting zones and are coordinating aerial support from water-bombing helicopters operated by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

The authorities are focusing on preventing new fires while strengthening firefighting operations around areas considered critical to airport access and surrounding communities.

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Translator: Fireman, Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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