KUBU RAYA, thekabarnews.com—The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has strengthened emergency operations against forest and land fires (karhutla) across three Kalimantan provinces. This action follows instructions from Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

Gibran delivered the instructions during an inspection of the emergency command post for the Guntung Damar wildfire in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Thursday, September 10.

He also reviewed operations in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, and Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan. The visit lasted one day and was meant to assess conditions on the ground.

The vice president asked BNPB head Lt. Gen. Suharyanto to prioritize communities exposed to smoke. In particular, he asked for special attention to children and other vulnerable groups.

Gibran also instructed emergency teams to give greater attention to fires near schools.

“I offer my deepest apologies to the people of Kalimantan because air conditions have not fully recovered. However, we will maximize our efforts and do our best in accordance with the president’s instructions,” Gibran said, according to the Vice President’s Secretariat.

Local governments must carefully coordinate any return to classroom learning with schools and parents, he said. Several areas have shifted to remote learning because hazardous fine-particle pollution and thick smoke have reduced visibility.

Gibran also ordered authorities to maximize weather modification operations. Aircraft should seed any suitable clouds as soon as meteorological conditions provide an opportunity for rain.

In West Kalimantan, a joint task force has mobilized 15,091 personnel from disaster agencies, the military, police, Manggala Agni fire brigades and community fire groups.

The operation is targeting 31 priority fire locations through direct suppression, peatland soaking and extended cooling.

Operational data for September 8 placed the affected area at approximately 691.74 hectares.

Ground crews had contained or extinguished fires across about 155.96 hectares at priority locations in Kubu Raya, Mempawah, Ketapang and other districts.

BNPB also deployed two patrol helicopters and nine water-bombing helicopters.

Aircraft operating from Ketapang dropped about 520,000 liters of water in 84 sorties over Sungai Pelang, Negeri Baru and Sungai Besar. However, poor visibility disrupted some flights from Supadio Air Base.

Three aircraft supported cloud-seeding operations over several West Kalimantan districts. BNPB uses the operation to increase the likelihood of rain when suitable clouds form. Still, results remain dependent on atmospheric conditions.

The smoke emergency has also affected public health. Briefing data recorded 1,337 acute respiratory infection cases across West Kalimantan’s 14 regencies and cities.

Authorities extended remote learning from September 7 to 11 as fine-particle pollution reached hazardous levels in affected locations.

West Kalimantan Governor Ria Norsan accompanied Gibran during an inspection in Sungai Malaya village, Kubu Raya. This occurred after officials reviewed ground and aerial firefighting reports at Supadio Air Base.

“This inspection is important to compare the data on paper with the reality on the ground so that our firefighting and mitigation strategy can be more measurable, coordinated and efficient,” Norsan said.

Gibran instructed central and regional authorities to maintain preventive patrols and quickly address operational obstacles.

BNPB said it would continue supplying protective equipment and coordinating firefighting resources. This work will continue while smoke and peat fires threaten communities across Kalimantan.