August 31, 2026 | 07:58 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s VI/Mulawarman Regional Military Command and other agencies have begun restoring ecosystems and optimizing water sources to rehabilitate areas affected by forest and land fires in East and North Kalimantan.
“This month, we are restoring vegetation by planting trees in burned and degraded areas, including along riverbanks,” VI/Mulawarman Regional Military Commander Major General Krido Pramono said.
Restoring vegetation was essential to restoring the ecological functions of areas that have lost tree cover because of forest and land fires, he said here on Saturday.
Tree planting will be carried out gradually with the involvement of the military, police, Regional Agency for Disaster Countermeasures, search and rescue agency, religious leaders and communities.
Such cooperation is needed not only during disasters but also to protect the environment and reduce the risk of fires returning during the dry season.
Besides reforestation, the government and relevant agencies are optimizing existing water infrastructure to improve water availability.
Reservoirs that had previously been built are being reactivated to provide water amid low rainfall.
“Drilled wells that we have built also provide clean water and can support forest and land fire prevention and firefighting,” Krido said.
He said water availability was increasingly critical amid dry conditions and rising temperatures.
Water is needed not only for communities but also to support firefighting operations if hotspots re-emerge.
Authorities are also taking a spiritual approach, holding joint prayers and salat istisqa, or prayers for rain, simultaneously in parts of East and North Kalimantan.
“We recognize our limitations and weaknesses. Only Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala can provide help, including rain, and protect us from disasters,” he said.
Krido stressed that protecting the environment is not solely the responsibility of the government and security forces, adding that communities must also plant trees, protect water sources, and avoid burning land.
The measures are expected to preserve environmental functions while reducing disaster risks whose impacts are felt directly by communities.
Read: Forest Fire Haze Disrupts 10 Flights at South Kalimantan Airport
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