PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—The West Kalimantan provincial administration has proposed raising regional spending by about Rp510 billion in its revised 2026 budget. In the new budget, forest and land fire (karhutla) response are among the priorities requiring additional funding.

West Kalimantan Governor Ria Norsan presented the revised 2026 Regional Budget (APBD) during a plenary meeting at the West Kalimantan Legislative Council on Monday, September 7.

The proposal would increase expenditure from Rp5.70 trillion to approximately Rp6.21 trillion.

It remains subject to deliberations between the provincial administration and the council. Therefore, lawmakers must approve it as a regional regulation.

The provincial administration also projects regional revenue will rise from Rp5.45 trillion to Rp5.76 trillion. Meanwhile, financing receipts would increase from Rp300 billion to Rp497.48 billion, using the audited 2025 budget surplus known as SiLPA.

The revised fiscal plan creates a projected deficit of Rp447.48 billion. The administration intends to cover it through net financing.

The financing plan also includes a Rp50 billion capital injection into the regional lender Bank Kalbar, as quoted by ANTARA.

Norsan said the revised budget would help the provincial government respond more quickly to changing public needs. These include the effects of forest and land fires across West Kalimantan.

“The focus remains on maintaining the quality of public services, ensuring the continuity of regional development and demonstrating the government’s presence, particularly in mitigating and handling environmental disasters,” he said.

Wildfire spending could support prevention, firefighting operations and measures to reduce the health effects of smoke.

The response requires coordination among provincial agencies, district administrations and emergency personnel operating in affected areas.

The administration has not yet published a specific figure for the proposed wildfire allocation.

The Rp510 billion increase represents the overall rise in regional expenditure. It should not be interpreted as an amount reserved entirely for fire management.

Regional agencies and the council’s relevant bodies will determine detailed programs and spending allocations during budget deliberations.

The process will establish how much funding each priority receives before the end of the financial year.

The proposal comes as West Kalimantan faces substantial environmental pressure. BNPB reported that fires had affected approximately 38,310.89 hectares in the province from January through June 2026.

More than 2,700 personnel were supporting ground operations in late August. Authorities also deployed aerial patrols, water-bombing helicopters, and weather-modification operations.

BNPB identified Ketapang, Kubu Raya, Melawi and North Kayong among the high-priority areas at the time.

The revised budget could provide additional fiscal capacity for the remaining months of 2026.

The impact on wildfire control and public services will hinge on the final allocations approved by the council. It will also depend on how quickly agencies can spend the money.