PUBLIKA TANJUNG SELOR — Wildfires and land fires broke out at several locations in Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan, prompting personnel from the North Kalimantan Regional Police’s Directorate of Samapta (Ditsamapta) to carry out a rapid response operation on Thursday (August 20, 2026).
A total of 40 police personnel were deployed starting at around 3:30 p.m. local time. The operation was led by Police Commissioner Andreas Deddy Wijaya, S.I.K.
The personnel carried out firefighting, cooling operations, area inspections and monitoring to prevent the flames from spreading or reigniting.
The first was Tanjung Agung Village, RT 9, East Tanjung Palas District, where approximately 1 hectare of land was affected by fire. The second location was Apung Village, Tanjung Selor District, with approximately 1.4 hectares of land affected.
The third was the Apung Village Public Cemetery (TPU) area, where around 1.7 hectares of land was burned.In total, approximately 4.1 hectares of land were affected by the fires.
The firefighting operation faced difficult terrain, particularly at the second and third locations.Police personnel had to walk approximately one kilometer to reach the fire spots because vehicle access was blocked by dense vegetation and challenging terrain.
Various firefighting equipment was deployed, including fire response vehicles, water pumps, fire hoses, nozzles and floating pumps.
At the first location, firefighters used a community-owned water tank. At the second location, a water tank was used, while at the third location, water was drawn from a small river using a floating pump.
Personnel also coordinated with local residents to continue monitoring areas that had already been treated.All Fire Spots Successfully Extinguished Following the firefighting operation, all identified fire spots were successfully extinguished.
Cooling and inspection operations were then carried out to ensure there were no remaining embers that could potentially reignite. No casualties were reported during the operation, and the situation remained safe and under control.
The rapid response operation reflects the North Kalimantan Regional Police’s preparedness in dealing with wildfires in Bulungan Regency.
The effort aims not only to prevent fires from spreading but also to minimize their impact on the environment and communities living near the affected areas.
With wildfires remaining a concern in the region, cooperation between the police, local communities and relevant agencies remains essential to ensure a rapid response and prevent new fire hotspots.
Reporter: Made Wahyu R
