Samarinda:Jakarta Indonesian authorities have ramped up efforts to combat forest and land fires in East Kalimantan Province. The renewed push comes after a resurgence of hotspots reported in August, with current operations focusing on an area estimated to cover 40 to 50 hectares.
According to Wam, firefighting operations are concentrated in Samarinda City and the regencies of Kutai Kartanegara, Paser, and East Kutai. These areas are particularly challenging for ground teams to access, necessitating the use of aerial operations.
Australian aircraft, including a C-130 water bomber capable of carrying up to 15,000 litres of water per sortie, have been deployed at the request of the provincial government to assist in the firefighting efforts. Meanwhile, firefighting and disaster management teams have been placed on alert to respond to the situation.
Authorities are also coordinating satellite hotspot monitoring data with aircraft flight routes to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the aerial firefighting operations.
