Ministry of Forestry, BRIN, and YKAN Develop More Accurate Peatland Fire Risk Map in West Kalimantan

The Ministry of Forestry, through the Directorate of Forest Fire Control, in collaboration with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN), is currently developing a forest and land fire (karhutla) risk map for peatland ecosystems in West Kalimantan Province. This initiative updates the existing risk map by using modelling that better reflects the ecosystem’s characteristics and specific regional conditions.

Senior Advisor for International Cooperation in Forest Fire Control at the Ministry of Forestry, Israr Albrar, stated that the development of this updated risk mapping method has been underway since 2025. He explained that the model is built using multiple parameters that are gradually refined to create a more accurate risk map.

“Methods for compiling fire risk maps have been available, but we are now improving them to provide a more precise picture of risks. West Kalimantan serves as the pilot location for this new method. The goal is to support fire control efforts, especially more effective prevention in areas dominated by peatland ecosystems,” said Israr during the Focus Group Discussion on Peatland and Forest Fire Risk Mapping in West Kalimantan, held on 28–29 July 2026.

Asep Hidayat, head of BRIN’s Ecology Research Center, explained that this map was developed using an approach that considers not only biophysical vulnerability factors, but also anthropogenic aspects that influence fire risk in a region.

“The risk mapping is conducted in stages and collaboratively, starting from developing the modelling framework, setting indicators, and refining spatial analysis to produce maps that better represent field conditions. This approach is expected to provide a strong scientific basis for decision-making in fire control,” said Asep.

YKAN’s peatland and climate researcher, Dr. Nisa Novita, added that the updated method is specifically designed for peatland areas. She explained that peatland fires have a much greater impact than fires in mineral soils because they burn not only the surface vegetation, but also the underground carbon-rich peat layers.

“Peatland fires are much harder to extinguish. Aside from producing massive greenhouse gas emissions, they generate thick smoke that harms public health and causes ecosystem damage that takes a very long time to recover,” explained Nisa.

West Kalimantan is one of the provinces that experiences fire hotspots every year. As of June 2026, the Ministry of Forestry reported that 28,680 hectares of the province had burned, accounting for about 27 percent of the total burned area nationwide.

This year, the West Kalimantan Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has also identified 335 fire-prone villages spread across 14 districts/municipalities. The determination of these high-risk areas is based on several indicators, such as a history of repeated fires, dominance of peatland, and biophysical conditions that increase fire risk.

Three districts under primary focus are Ketapang, Mempawah, and Kubu Raya. These districts were selected because they have a high proportion of burned areas. According to the Ministry of Forestry’s monitoring, these districts were responsible for approximately 77 percent of West Kalimantan’s total fires during the period from January to June of 2026.

Nisa hopes the method used to create this fire risk map will serve as a model for other regions to develop their own tailored maps.

“We are now entering the finalisation stage of the modelling results, including the final review of the various parameters used. Next, we will prepare a policy brief to provide input to the Ministry of Forestry for improving guidelines and technical instructions for determining forest and land fire risk areas, particularly in regions with extensive peatland landscapes,” she concluded.