Antara News·Indonesia·Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 12:31 AM UTC

Indonesia inventories fire aid needs amid regional offers

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Prisca Triferna Violleta, Yashinta Difa

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is currently conducting a comprehensive inventory to assess its precise requirements for forest and land fire suppression assistance, following proactive aid offers from neighboring countries including Singapore and Malaysia.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Head Kristomei Sianturi emphasized that the government is carefully reviewing the incoming proposals to ensure any international support is operationally necessary, efficient, and appropriately targeted.

"Several countries have already made offers. We need some time to inventory exactly what is required, so that if we find ourselves unable to handle a situation—or if we lack the necessary equipment—we can request it from them,” Kristomei said after a plenary cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday (October 21).

He noted that Singapore has communicated an offer encompassing relief items such as face masks and drinking water, alongside the potential deployment of C-130 Hercules aircraft.

However, Kristomei pointed out that Indonesia already maintains its own fleet of such aircraft and does not currently require external additions.

"If we already have them, why would we ask for more? For instance, if another country offers a C-130 Hercules, but we already have our own, it would not be efficient to accept—there is no reason for us to borrow one," he added.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has offered three helicopters and 52 personnel to assist in combating the fires. Domestic authorities are currently discussing the technical aspects concerning the delivery and field deployment of this aid.

Kristomei stated that the assessment process is being expedited to support containment efforts across various locations, noting that the government aims to suppress the fires as quickly as possible.

Operations include weather modification operations (WMO) utilizing dry ice primarily designed to disperse heavy smoke.

Additionally, authorities have tested "Realiza Anti Chamas," a specialized chemical suppression agent imported from Brazil, which is dissolved in water and sprayed to inhibit fire spread in the Banyuasin region of South Sumatra.

Official figures released by the BNPB indicate that firefighting teams have successfully extinguished fires across 502 hectares of a targeted 983 hectares across six priority provinces as of Wednesday.

Mitigation efforts remain heavily concentrated in South Sumatra and Central Kalimantan, alongside Jambi, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, and Riau.

These provinces have been prioritized due to their extensive critical peatlands, high vulnerability to hotspots, and extreme weather exposure.

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