Prevent Before It Spreads, Danrem 083/Bdj Emphasizes Early Mitigation of Karhutla

 

Malang – Commander of Korem 083/Baladhika Jaya, Colonel Inf. Wahyu Ramadhanus Suryawan, S.Sos., M.M.S., M.Han., emphasized that mitigation and prevention must be the primary steps in addressing forest and land fires (Karhutla). He made the statement while serving as a speaker on the interactive dialogue “Malang Menyapa”, themed “Collaboration in Mitigation and Management of Forest and Land Fires in East Java,” organized by RRI Malang on Monday (September 7, 2026).

During the dialogue, Danrem explained that Karhutla management should not only be carried out once a fire occurs, but must begin during the pre-disaster stage through mitigation, education, public awareness, and early detection. According to him, once a fire grows larger, firefighting becomes increasingly difficult, particularly in areas with extreme and hard-to-reach terrain.

> “Do not wait until the fire grows. Mitigation must come first. We must be able to detect fires early, respond quickly, and take preventive measures before the fire spreads,” Danrem stressed.

Danrem also highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration by integrating personnel, data, and technology, including data-based command posts, drones, and aerial operation support. After a fire has been extinguished, monitoring and follow-up inspections must be carried out to ensure that no embers or hotspots remain and reignite.

> “The most important thing is collaboration. Once the fire is extinguished, make sure the area is checked again so it does not reappear. Let’s protect our forests together, because the impact of forest and land fires can spread to other areas,” he concluded.

(Penrem 083/Bdj)