South Kalimantan Faces Severe Water Scarcity and Wildfire Crisis

In South Kalimantan (Kalsel), Indonesia, a severe water scarcity crisis is unfolding alongside an increase in forest and land fires, threatening the livelihoods of local residents. On August 24th, Bambang, a farmer in Banjarbaru City, recounted how a fire engulfed his rambutan plantation, destroying approximately 50 trees and rendering his newly purchased water pump useless. The canal near Bambang's plantation, choked with water hyacinths and weeds, was nearly dry. "Today, I've suffered a significant loss. I bought a pump and hose this morning, costing around three million rupiah (approximately $200 USD)," he said. Two fire trucks, along with numerous firefighters and volunteers, were engaged in battling peatland fires in the vicinity. Two water-bombing helicopters were also observed circling overhead throughout the day, though they did not target Bambang's 1.2-hectare farm directly. "These crops were my provision for retirement, but they've all burned down," he lamented. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) through its Kalsel Climatology Station issued a meteorological drought early warning for the third ten-day period of August 2026 (August 21-31). The alert designated Banjarbaru City, along with Banjar, Barito Kuala, Kotabaru, Tapin, Hulu Sungai Tengah, Hulu Sungai Utara, Hulu Sungai Selatan, Tanah Bumbu, and Tabalong regencies, as being in the "Siaga (Alert)" category. Tanah Laut Regency was placed under "Awas (Warning)," while Balangan Regency was categorized as "Waspada (Watch)." The BMKG cited a lack of rainfall as the primary driver of this drought condition. This compounding crisis of water scarcity and fires is having a substantial impact on agriculture and the regional economy, undermining the foundation of residents' lives.