A series of initiatives on forest and land fire (karhutla) prevention and management took place over two days, from August 6–7, 2024, in Sambas Regency, West Kalimantan.
The training, organized by Gemawan for Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA — Community Fire Care Groups) at the grassroots level, involved participants from four villages — Sengawang, Teluk Kaseh, Semata, and Merubung — with the majority being women’s groups. The activity was held at the Sengawang Village Office Hall in Teluk Keramat Subdistrict.
Representatives from BPBD Sambas, UPT KPH Sambas, Manggala Agni, and GRID participated as facilitators and resource persons, each contributing their expertise.
“This activity aims to create broader awareness and preparedness regarding forest and land fire management in Sambas Regency,”
said Dedi Wahab, Gemawan’s Regional Coordinator for Sambas, during the training session.
Dedi added that women’s participation is crucial, as they are also directly affected by forest and land fires.
“This training is held for MPA members in four villages — Merubung, Teluk Kaseh, Sengawang, and Semata,” he explained.
On the second day, participants developed village-level action plans and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for MPA activities, including short practical sessions on fire suppression and response techniques.
“Our hope is to integrate forest fire prevention into the community’s own interests — particularly for those living in peatland areas that are highly vulnerable to fires,” Dedi emphasized.
Women and the Fire Care Community
Women representatives from the four villages took part actively in all sessions.
“We learned about peatland fire suppression techniques, organizational management, and how to develop work plans,” said Wideni, an MPA member from Teluk Kaseh Village.
She added,
“Today we are practicing how to extinguish fires effectively and efficiently. The knowledge gained from this training can be applied in our daily lives and shared with others in our community.”
Through this initiative, Gemawan and its partners continue to strengthen the role of women and local communities as key actors in community-based disaster mitigation, particularly in combating recurring forest and land fires across West Kalimantan.
Source: Dialektis