More than 140 women across ten villages in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, have organised themselves into a community patrol group to prevent and combat forest and land fires, riding motorbikes to monitor hotspots, report blazes and educate residents against slash-and-burn farming.
The group, known as “The Power of Mama,” was formed on 8 June 2022 in response to the devastating 2019 fire season. Member Eli said the community grew directly out of that crisis.
“This community started from the mothers’ unease over the 2019 fires, in which more than 150,000 hectares were destroyed within a single year,” Eli said during the Meet Nite Live programme on Metro TV.
Since then, the group has expanded significantly. “Since it was formed, more than 140 women have joined, spread across ten villages in three sub-districts,” she added.
Among the women taking part is Jurnaini, from Sungai Putri village, an area repeatedly affected by fires each dry season.
She has said she feels heartbroken watching forest disappear to flames. In 2022, a non-governmental organisation brought together women from four villages around Ketapang and trained a number of them in firefighting techniques.
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Safety on the Front Line
Eli explained that karhutla does not only destroy forest; it disrupts daily life. Schools have had to close during smoke-haze episodes, keeping children out of the classroom, while cases of acute respiratory infection (ISPA) rise sharply when haze blankets villages.
That concern led the group to partner with the Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI). “In that meeting, we asked for support from YIARI to help the mothers voice their concerns to the wider community,” Eli said.
Terrain remains the biggest obstacle when responding to fires, she noted, which is why members insist on wearing full personal protective equipment.
“We also have to pay attention to occupational safety, our K3,” she said.
First Responders and a Call for Government Action
The women act as first responders whenever a hotspot is found, alerting the relevant authorities before any firefighting begins. “Our task is routine patrols to monitor hotspots, and we also engage with the surrounding community so that no one clears land by burning it,” Eli explained.
Despite the physical risks, families have backed the effort. “Our families are very supportive — even the children say it’s cool. ‘Our mothers are amazing,'” Eli said.
Looking ahead, she urged the government to strengthen fire prevention efforts rather than focus solely on response. “We hope the government will be more serious in handling karhutla, particularly through prevention before fires even start,” she said.
source: metro tv, dailymail
