Antara News·Indonesia·Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 03:30 AM UTC

Indonesia deploys 60,177 personnel to fight wildfires

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Genta TM, Rahmad Nasution

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said more than 60,000 personnel from various agencies have been deployed to fight forest and land fires, particularly in Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra.

Teddy said here Monday evening that President Prabowo Subianto received an update on personnel deployments and firefighting efforts during a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta that day.

The briefing revealed that firefighting was still underway across 639 hectares in six provinces, particularly in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

“The main focus is now on two provinces, Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra,” Teddy said, summarizing the meeting.

Ground firefighting operations are supported by 60,177 personnel from fire departments, the military, police, the Forestry Ministry, regional forestry agencies and volunteers, Teddy said.

Ground crews are extinguishing, on average, more than 80 percent of the area newly burned each day, he said.

Teddy said aerial firefighting was also underway, with helicopters and aircraft conducting water-bombing operations.

“Aerial water-bombing operations are continuing in several areas to speed up firefighting,” Teddy said.

Conditions have improved in Riau, West Kalimantan, Jambi and South Kalimantan, Teddy said. Weather-modification operations are being stepped up to harness rain clouds as the rainy season is expected to spread more widely in mid-to-late October 2026.

“The president called for stronger firefighting efforts and the optimal use of all resources to extinguish the fires faster and prevent them from spreading,” Teddy said.

The meeting included political and security coordinator Dudung Abdurachman, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Human development and Culture Coordinating Minister Sugiono, Military Chief General Agus Subiyanto, National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Teddy.

Also attending was Satyawan Pudyatmoko, director general of natural resources and ecosystem conservation at the Forestry Ministry and a candidate to head the National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency.

The head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), along with regional military commanders, police chiefs and governors in areas affected by the fires, joined the meeting by videoconference.

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