Burning Kalimantan Forests: Natural Disaster or Human Intervention?

Author: Hana Syahira
Student, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Airlangga

JurnalPost.com - Every time the dry season arrives, parts of Kalimantan face the recurring threat of forest and land fires. Thick smoke blankets various regions, visibility drops, flight and transport activities face potential disruption, and the public must contend with health risks from smoke exposure.

The impact does not stop with humans. Wildlife loses its habitat, vegetation is destroyed, and the balance of the ecosystem is disrupted. From this situation, one important question arises: are forest fires in Kalimantan solely caused by natural factors, or is there human activity playing a role behind them?

This question has become increasingly relevant after the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim Polri) revealed that 112 people had been named suspects in various forest and land fire cases across several regions throughout 2026. This data was recorded from January 1 to September 3, 2026, based on 167 cases handled.

The number of suspects has increased compared to previous records, which reached 72 people. This fact shows that the human factor cannot simply be dismissed when discussing the causes of forest and land fires.

However, naming someone a suspect must still be understood as part of the legal process. This status does not automatically prove that all fires occurred due to intentional acts. Every case must be proven based on facts, evidence, and the applicable legal process.

Attention is also directed toward the oversight of corporations. On September 4, 2026, the Ministry of Forestry imposed administrative sanctions on five companies holding Forest Utilization Business Licenses (PBPH) in West Kalimantan after fires were discovered in their concession areas.

The government stated that the handling of these cases could proceed to criminal proceedings if investigations reveal indications of legal violations.

This event shows that the issue of forest and land fires is not only related to individuals in the field. The responsibility of companies to manage, oversee, and protect their concession areas is also an inseparable part of the issue.

It cannot be denied that natural factors have a major influence. Long dry seasons, high temperatures, low rainfall, and dry land conditions can increase the risk of fires.

However, natural factors should not be used as an excuse to ignore the possibility of human activity that increases those risks.

One practice that is often in the spotlight is land clearing by burning. This method is considered simpler and cheaper than using heavy equipment or other land-clearing methods.

The problem arises when fire, initially used to clear a specific area, cannot be controlled. In dry weather conditions with strong winds, the fire can quickly spread to other areas and turn into a major blaze.

When that happens, the impact is no longer just a matter for specific individuals or groups. Smoke can spread to various regions, public activities are disrupted, public health is threatened, and environmental damage requires a long time to recover.

Therefore, law enforcement is one of the essential elements in efforts to address the issue of forest and land fires.

It is not enough for the government to act only when the fire has already grown large. Extinguishing the fire is indeed important, but these efforts must be accompanied by investigations into the causes of the fire.

Questions regarding how the fire started, who is responsible for the area, whether prevention procedures were followed, and whether any party benefited from the burned land need to be answered transparently.

Enforcement should also be carried out comprehensively. If the legal process proves there was an element of intent, orders, negligence, or legal violations, then accountability should not stop only with the people directly at the scene.

Parties who have the authority, make decisions, or have control over these activities also need to be investigated if there is evidence pointing to their involvement.

In addition to legal sanctions, environmental restoration must also be an important part of accountability. Forest damage cannot be resolved simply by putting out the fire.

Burned areas require rehabilitation, ecosystem recovery, and long-term monitoring to prevent similar damage from recurring.

However, firmness in law enforcement must still go hand in hand with the principle of justice. Individuals or companies still under investigation should not be immediately considered guilty before a legal verdict proves it.

The public also needs to be critical while remaining cautious. Information regarding forest and land fires needs to be understood based on facts and accountable sources, not through unverified accusations.

Ultimately, forest and land fires in Kalimantan are not just a matter of fire reappearing during the dry season.

The bigger issue is how humans treat the environment, how companies carry out their responsibilities, and to what extent the state is able to ensure the protection of the public and the ecosystem.

The dry season can indeed increase the risk of fire. However, that does not mean every fire should simply be accepted as an unavoidable natural disaster.

Kalimantan's forests are not just stretches of land with economic value. Within them lie biodiversity, complex ecosystems, sources of livelihood for the community, and environmental functions that are vital for current and future generations.

Therefore, when forests burn, the question that needs to be asked is not just, “Why did the fire start?”

An equally important question is, “Who is responsible, how did the fire happen, and why does the same problem keep recurring?”

If these questions are never truly answered, we risk not only letting the forests burn again but also allowing the root causes of these fires to persist year after year.