August 5, 2026 | 05:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A resident has reportedly died in a wildfire that engulfed Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, while authorities are still trying to put out the blazes across several locations.
"The victim reportedly ran through the smoke while trying to return home and likely fainted due to a lack of oxygen. Fire then spread on both sides of the road, burning the resident to death," said Yunifar Purwantoro, Head of the Ketapang Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), in Ketapang, Wednesday.
Besides the fatality, BPBD also received a report about an elderly resident suffering burns and being evacuated to Dr. Agoesdjam Hospital in Ketapang for medical treatment.
According to Yunifar, the blazes in Ketapang have yet to be successfully maintained, with joint personnel working to extinguish the fire since early morning.
Yunifar said water bombing helicopters have been deployed to assist with firefighting in several priority locations, including the Pelang Village and Bukit Gunung Skuri areas in Sungai Laur District. These locations are most vulnerable to fire.
Water bombing is a fire-extinguishing technique by dropping large amounts of water or chemical liquids by helicopters or special aircraft.
BPBD estimates that the burned area in the Pelang Village area has reached more than 40 hectares. Ground firefighting efforts are still hampered by the difficulty of obtaining water sources at the fire site.
"Therefore, water bombing operations are necessary, especially in locations that are difficult for ground teams to reach," he said.
He hopes the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) can station patrol and water bombing helicopters at Rahadi Oesman Airport in Ketapang to facilitate a swifter response to wildfires.
He added that fire hotspots have been detected in almost all sub-districts in Ketapang Regency.
Residents are warned against clearing land by fire and urged to immediately report to officers if they find a hotspot to prevent the fire from spreading.
Read: Drought, Wildfire Risks Rise in Southeast Asia as El Nino Strengthens
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