EduAsiaNews, South Sumatra- APHI Chairman Soewarso conducted an inspection on Saturday, accompanied by APHI South Sumatra Regional Chairman Iwan Setiawan. The inspection took place at the Sungai Baung Firebase, a command center for forest and land fire prevention and response operated by three APP Group partner companies that are APHI members: PT Bumi Mekar Hijau (BMH), PT Bumi Andalas Permai (BAP), and PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries (SBA WI).
The inspection covered hotspot detection systems, personnel and equipment readiness, as well as rapid-response mechanisms for potential forest and land fires.
Soewarso emphasized that forest and land fire prevention and response require close cooperation among the government, businesses, security forces, local communities, and other stakeholders, including when fires occur outside company concession areas.
“Forest and land fire prevention and response cannot be carried out by one party alone. Cross-sectoral collaboration is needed so that fires can be detected and addressed at the earliest possible stage before they spread,” he said.
Since May 2026, APP Group partner companies in Ogan Komering Ilir have assisted firefighting operations in several areas outside their concession boundaries. In early August, joint teams were again deployed to respond to a fire in the licensed plantation area of PT BHP, which borders PT BMH’s operational area.
Hundreds of personnel from PT BMH, PT BAP, and PT SBA WI were deployed alongside Manggala Agni, the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), and the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).
The operation was supported by five helicopters operated by APP Group and two BPBD helicopters, including aircraft equipped for water-bombing operations to accelerate firefighting efforts and prevent fires from spreading.
Field operations were further supported by satellite monitoring and real-time fire detection systems. A total of 20 excavators, 10 operational vehicles, and various firefighting equipment were also deployed. Canal-blocking systems were used to maintain water availability in fire-prone areas.
APHI South Sumatra Regional Chairman Iwan Setiawan said the Sungai Baung Firebase functions as a data-driven, integrated coordination center, enabling personnel to monitor field conditions and accelerate decision-making.
“The key to forest and land fire control is early prevention. Monitoring systems must provide fast and accurate information so that response teams can act immediately,” he said.
Meanwhile, PT BAP Fire Operation Management Head Panji Bintoro explained that the forest and land fire control system operates 24 hours a day with support from satellite imagery, automatic weather stations (AWS), a Fire Danger Rating System (FDRS), and rapid-response teams.
The company also operates patrol drones equipped with thermal imaging and artificial intelligence technology to detect potential fires across a range of up to seven kilometers.
“Information from various monitoring systems provides the basis for determining the level of fire risk and the actions that need to be taken immediately in the field,” Panji said.
In addition to technology-based monitoring, prevention efforts include joint patrols with the TNI, community outreach, and the strengthening of early-warning systems in villages surrounding operational areas.
As part of the visit, the APHI delegation also inspected the Baung Central Nursery, which has an annual production capacity of between 48 million and 60 million Eucalyptus and Acacia seedlings on a 42-hectare site.
The seedlings undergo quality-control processes before being planted as part of sustainable plantation forest management. The nursery also uses paper pots to reduce plastic consumption, support root development, and improve planting success rates.
APHI said continued investment in technology, personnel capacity, firefighting equipment, and community collaboration will be essential in facing the peak of the 2026 dry season while protecting forests and surrounding areas from forest and land fires.
