Every year, forests and peatlands across Kalimantan face the threat of wildfires. Peatland fires are not simply surface fires. They can spread through layers of peat beneath the ground, sometimes without visible flames on the surface, and under certain conditions can cause large trees to collapse.
During wildfire emergencies, government agencies are not the only actors responding on the ground. Community Fire Brigades (Masyarakat Peduli Api/MPA), Kelurahan Fire Response Teams (Tim Serbu Api Kelurahan/TSAK), and other volunteer teams are also on the front lines of firefighting efforts. However, their significant contributions are not always matched by adequate protection and well-being support. Many volunteers continue to face limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE), firefighting equipment, safety training, health insurance, and psychosocial support.
This situation highlights a gap between the critical role volunteers play in wildfire response and the protection they receive. Government and other stakeholders need to ensure adequate protection through the provision of equipment, training, social and health protection, appropriate incentives, and psychosocial support.
Protecting volunteers means strengthening community capacity and resilience to respond to wildfires safely and sustainably.
Read the full policy brief here