JAKARTA — Indonesia’s firefighting efforts in Central Kalimantan have been severely hampered by thick smoke, difficult terrain, and equipment shortages, officials said following a high-level meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto on October 12. The fires have engulfed more than 500 hectares within Tanjung Putting National Park and surrounding areas in West Kotawaringin and Seruyan regencies, threatening the habitat of the internationally renowned orangutan population and disrupting daily life across parts of Southeast Asia with haze and poor air quality.
According to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, dense smoke has grounded water-bombing aircraft around the region’s capital, Palangka Raya, for about a week. Visibility near the park has reportedly dropped to around 500 meters, preventing civilian flights from conducting aerial firefighting operations. Major-General Zainul Arifin, the regional military commander, informed the president that poor visibility has also curtailed commercial and weather modification flights aimed at inducing rainfall.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s chief, Suyharyanto, reported that as of October 12, over 639,000 hectares remain ablaze across six priority provinces, contributing to the cumulative burned area of nearly 130,000 hectares. With fixed-wing and helicopter operations grounded, firefighting efforts have relied heavily on ground personnel. More than 60,000 personnel have been deployed, successfully extinguishing on average over 80% of new fire outbreaks daily despite the difficult conditions.
Tanjung Putting National Park on Borneo island is a critical conservation site, home not only to orangutans but also to other potentially hazardous wildlife such as crocodiles and snakes. The terrain’s swampy nature complicates ground operations, posing risks to firefighting teams. On the day of the meeting, the park recorded 247 foreign visitors, contributing to an estimated 66,000 tourists in 2026.
Fire crews face equipment shortfalls, with existing portable pumps being reused in recovered areas. Additional pumps and resources are difficult to procure locally and often must be sourced from Java. When asked about needs, regional military commander Zainul requested 50 pumps; President Prabowo pledged to send 200. Zainul also highlighted the necessity for water-drilling teams to access groundwater at depths of 10 to 15 meters in fire-affected zones inaccessible to vehicles. Each drilling point costs about 10 million rupiah (approximately S$715), prompting Prabowo to approve a budget of two billion rupiah for 200 points, suggesting recruitment of local residents to assist.
Discussing aerial firefighting options, Zainul proposed utilizing military aircraft capable of operating in lower visibility conditions than civilian operators, who require about 5,000 meters visibility. In response, Prabowo directed military and police aviation units to enhance coordination for operational support.
Beyond immediate firefighting, Prabowo emphasized long-term forest protection and prevention. He reiterated his call for 70,000 forest police personnel to be recruited and trained by the police and military. The president also advocated for village-level fire prevention strategies informed by academic expertise, underscoring the need for a comprehensive, preventive approach to manage Indonesia’s frequent and destructive forest fires.
Officials noted that offers of international assistance from Singapore and Malaysia were not addressed during the meeting. Meanwhile, the ongoing fires continue to affect air travel, public health, and regional air quality across Southeast Asia, underscoring the urgency of more effective containment and prevention measures.