Kalimantan Forest Fire Preparedness Boosted with PU Ministry's Water Supply Equipment Deployment

The Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PU) has strengthened its readiness to face forest and land fires (karhutla) in Kalimantan by deploying additional firefighting equipment and water supply in five provinces. This initiative aims to support rapid extinguishing efforts during fire events. Through the Directorate General of Water Resources (Ditjen SDA), the ministry sent 13 units of supporting equipment to West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan. These units were transported via sea routes from Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on September 11 and 12, facilitated by the ministry's River Basin Agencies (BWS) in each region. Minister of Public Works and Housing, Dody Hanggodo, stated that his ministry has been instructed to remain on alert and adjust to the conditions and needs on the ground. "The PU Ministry will continue to move based on conditions on the ground. The conditions are certainly different, but for us at PU, what is important is to be able to quickly present according to the needs on the ground. I have asked the ranks to be on standby and move, especially to help maintain basic services for the community," Hanggodo said. The deployed equipment includes mobile pumps with a capacity of 250 liters per second, water tank trucks, and Alkon pumps with a capacity of 41.6 liters per second. West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan will each receive one 5,000-liter water tank truck, one mobile pump, and one 6-inch Alkon pump. East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan will each receive one 4,000-liter water tank truck and one 6-inch Alkon pump. These additions complement existing forest fire handling facilities in Kalimantan. The PU Ministry is also preparing other equipment for field-level replenishment based on needs, such as 3-inch Alkon pumps, jet sprinklers, backpack pumps, extension hoses, and water tanks. Director General of Water Resources, Arnold A.P. Ritiauw, emphasized that equipment readiness is crucial for accelerating forest fire handling, particularly in supporting field extinguishing processes. "We hope that this equipment can help accelerate the handling of forest and land fires in Kalimantan, especially in supporting extinguishing in the field. The readiness of this equipment is part of the support of the Ministry of PU in facing the karhutla condition," Ritiauw stated. The Directorate General of Land and Spatial Planning will continue to coordinate with BWS across Kalimantan to ensure all equipment is ready for deployment according to the evolving karhutla situation. This preparedness strengthening underscores the role of water resource facilities and infrastructure not only for daily needs but also as a government response mechanism during emergencies like forest and land fires.