Government Halts Water Bombing Operations for Forest Fires in South Kalimantan

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The government has officially halted aerial water bombing operations aimed at tackling forest and land fires (karhutla) in South Kalimantan.

Acting Head of Data and Disaster Management at BNPB, Berton SP Panjaitan, stated that the decision was made based on coordination with the South Kalimantan provincial government and current field observations.

“We would like to announce that as of today, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the air task force operations for water bombing using helicopters in South Kalimantan have officially ceased,” Berton said during a press conference on Wednesday (11/11/2026).

The central government decided to stop water bombing operations as the instances of karhutla in South Kalimantan are reported to have decreased significantly.

“This is supported by increased rainfall in most of South Kalimantan this November,” Berton added.

Although the operation has been halted, Berton assured that monitoring and early detection in South Kalimantan will continue through land and air task forces routinely.

“Further handling of karhutla will be maximized through land task forces, prioritizing the optimization of the roles of district and city governments in their respective areas,” he said.

Berton noted that the central government's role in this matter is primarily supportive.