World · East Asia & Pacific · 12 hrs ago
Indonesia Enlists Mining and Palm Oil Firms to Tackle Fires in Central Kalimantan
Indonesia’s food ministry is coordinating efforts to tackle forest and land fires in four high-risk provinces, including Central Kalimantan.
In the province, the work focuses on areas around Palangka Raya that contribute to smoke affecting the city.
The government is working with palm oil, forestry and mining businesses, alongside provincial authorities, emergency officials and police.
Two of four planned locations are already being handled, while work at the other two is due to begin soon.
The teams are building wells and channels and moving water to fire-prone areas to keep the land wet.
This matters because degraded peatland can dry out and catch fire, so it needs continuous watering without breaks.
The government and the province’s governor also plan water-control structures along the Kahayan River to help keep peatland moist.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs is working with palm oil, forestry and mining businesses to address fires in Central Kalimantan.
The government is focusing on four locations in Central Kalimantan, with work underway at two and planned at two others.
The response includes wells, canal barriers and infrastructure to channel river water into fire-prone areas.
Officials say degraded peatland around Palangka Raya needs continuous wetting to reduce the risk of drying and fires.
- Who
- Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, Central Kalimantan authorities and businesses from several sectors.
- What
- They are coordinating measures to address forest and land fires, including work to keep peatland wet.
- When
- The work at three main areas had begun about two weeks before Hanif Faisol Nurofiq spoke on November 6, 2026.
- Where
- Central Kalimantan, including areas around Palangka Raya and Pulang Pisau.
- Why
- Degraded peatland is vulnerable to drying and fires, which contribute to smoke in Palangka Raya.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Work began on three main areas with a group of palm oil companies and the Indonesian Forestry Entrepreneurs Association.
Hanif Faisol Nurofiq spoke after a Central Kalimantan fire-response meeting in West Jakarta.
CNN Indonesia published its report on the government’s fire-response plans.
- High-risk provinces
- South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Sumatra and South Papua
- Locations in Central Kalimantan
- Four planned for treatment; two underway and two planned
- Talawang Raya
- About 362 hectares
- Sabaru, Sebangau, Barikin and Buluh Merindu
- About 302 hectares combined
- Pulang Pisau area
- About 12 kilometres, from Palangka Raya to Tumbang Nusa Bridge
What people are saying
The condition in the areas I mentioned is very severely degraded. So the only way to handle it is to wet it and keep wetting it. There must be no break in wetting.
In Central Kalimantan, the main installation is in Palangka Raya. We are targeting three main polygons, which began work two weeks ago with a joint group of Indonesian palm oil companies and the Indonesian Forestry Entrepreneurs Association.
So there are four locations that we will handle. Two are already underway and the other two will be started soon.