Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto led a high-level meeting on efforts to tackle forest and land fires in West Kalimantan during his working visit to the province on Saturday (August 22, 2026). West Kalimantan Governor Drs. H. Ria Norsan, M.M., M.H., accompanied the President throughout the visit.
Upon arriving at Supadio Air Force Base in Kubu Raya Regency at approximately 11:15 a.m. local time, President Prabowo immediately convened a meeting with representatives from ministries and government agencies, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and regional governments to receive the latest assessment of the wildfire situation and ensure that response measures were being carried out swiftly, comprehensively, and in a coordinated manner.
The meeting, held in the VIP Room at Supadio Air Force Base, was attended by the TNI Commander, National Police Chief, Minister of State Secretary, Minister of Home Affairs, senior officials from central government ministries and agencies, Commander of the XII/Tanjungpura Regional Military Command, West Kalimantan Police Chief, officials from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), as well as representatives of the TNI, Polri, and other relevant agencies.
At the start of the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya reported on the attendance of central and regional government officials. President Prabowo then emphasized that his visit to West Kalimantan was intended to assess conditions firsthand and receive the latest reports on the forest and land fire situation.
“I came to see the actual conditions on the ground,” President Prabowo said.
During the meeting, BNPB Chief Expert Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Asrianus Bulo presented the latest hotspot data based on satellite monitoring over the previous 24 hours.
The monitoring detected 198 high-confidence hotspots, 3,100 medium-confidence hotspots, and 406 low-confidence hotspots across West Kalimantan. The hotspots were concentrated primarily in Ketapang, Kubu Raya, Kayong Utara, Sanggau, Sintang, and Sambas regencies.
The meeting also reviewed weather forecasts and the potential for rainfall across the province. According to monitoring by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), light rainfall was expected particularly in eastern parts of West Kalimantan between August 21 and 27, 2026.
The progress of Weather Modification Operations (OMC) was also discussed. Following operations conducted from August 11 to 18, another round was planned for August 23–27, subject to favorable cloud formation.
President Prabowo instructed all relevant authorities to accelerate an integrated response to the fires, with particular attention to addressing the impact of haze on communities.
Regional leadership and relevant agencies were instructed to intensify field operations with support from the central government, including expanded Weather Modification Operations, additional water-bombing aircraft, reinforced personnel, and improved access to water sources through the construction and utilization of bore wells in areas where they are needed.
Response efforts will also prioritize areas experiencing the highest levels of fire activity to bring the situation under control as quickly as possible and minimize the impact on communities and the environment.
Responding to the President’s directives, Governor Ria Norsan expressed his appreciation for the central government’s direct attention to the forest and land fire situation in West Kalimantan. He said the President’s presence demonstrated a strong commitment to accelerating fire control efforts while ensuring maximum protection for affected communities.
“On behalf of the West Kalimantan Provincial Government, we express our appreciation and gratitude to President Prabowo Subianto for his direct attention to the handling of forest and land fires in West Kalimantan. The President’s presence and directives have encouraged us and strengthened our efforts at the regional level in addressing this situation,” Norsan said.
He added that the President’s directives would encourage all regional authorities to further strengthen preparedness and coordination while accelerating both prevention and response measures.
“The West Kalimantan Provincial Government is fully prepared to support the measures directed by the President. Tackling forest and land fires requires collective action, strong coordination, and a rapid response. We appreciate the central government’s support, including strengthened Weather Modification Operations, additional water-bombing capacity, personnel, and other assistance,” he said.
Norsan emphasized that the provincial government would continue strengthening prevention, firefighting, and post-fire cooling operations, alongside cross-sector coordination, particularly in areas facing a high risk or incidence of forest and land fires.
“Our foremost priority is to ensure that communities remain protected and that environmental impacts are minimized as much as possible. For that reason, synergy between the central and regional governments must continue to be strengthened,” he emphasized.
The Governor expressed hope that stronger support and coordination between the central and regional governments would accelerate efforts to bring the fires under control, minimize their impacts on communities and the environment, and allow residents to carry out their daily activities safely and comfortably.
Following the meeting, President Prabowo, Governor Ria Norsan, and members of the West Kalimantan Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) visited a fire-affected area on Jalan Angkasapura in Kubu Raya Regency to inspect conditions on the ground.
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