Jakarta, ThedailyID — Indonesia has deployed 64 aircraft and 54,394 personnel to fight forest and land fires across the country since August 2026.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said the joint operation continues to target fire hotspots and prevent the fires from spreading.
“Since August, 64 aircraft have been deployed for water bombing, supported by 54,394 joint personnel who continue to operate in the field,” Teddy said in a statement on Monday, September 21.
Of the 64 aircraft, 55 belong to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). The remaining nine are operated by the Indonesian Military and are also conducting water-bombing operations.
The 54,394 personnel include members of the military and police, the Ministry of Forestry, BNPB, regional disaster management agencies, Manggala Agni, volunteers and local communities.
Teddy said the wide areas affected by fires and difficult peatland conditions remain major challenges for firefighting teams.
“The vast areas and difficult peatland conditions pose challenges in dealing with forest and land fires across Indonesia. However, firefighting efforts continue without interruption through both ground and aerial operations,” Teddy said.
The government is continuing to use both ground and aerial operations to extinguish fires, prevent them from spreading and protect communities from the effects of the fires.
“Everyone continues to move. Everything is being done to extinguish the fires, reduce the impact of smoke and, most importantly, protect communities from the threat of forest and land fires,” Teddy said.
Forest and land fires have recently affected several parts of Indonesia, including Kalimantan, Sumatra and East Java.
In East Java, fires were still burning in several mountainous areas as of September 19. The affected areas included Mount Kawinajang, which borders Mount Buthak, as well as the Mount Wilis area.
The fires around Mount Kawinajang and Mount Buthak have burned thousands of hectares. East Java BPBD Emergency and Logistics Head Satriyo Nurseno said approximately 1,459 hectares had been affected, with the figure still subject to change.
