Palembang — Forest and land fires remain one of the most persistent ecological threats in South Sumatra, and a recent study highlights that institutional resilience within the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) plays a decisive role in strengthening mitigation strategies across the province.
The research examines how organizational strategy, program implementation, resource support, and institutional coordination shape BPBD’s ability to respond effectively to recurring fire hazards, particularly in peatland-dominated areas that are highly vulnerable to ignition and rapid spread.
Using a qualitative descriptive approach based on interviews, field observations, and document analysis, the study provides an in-depth understanding of how regional disaster governance operates in practice.
Findings show that BPBD’s institutional resilience is strengthened through cross-sector coordination, hotspot monitoring systems, and the integration of early warning technologies. These mechanisms enable faster preventive action before fires escalate into large-scale disasters.
Importantly, the agency has shifted its operational orientation from reactive emergency response toward preventive disaster risk reduction. Mapping fire-prone areas now serves as a strategic basis for determining mitigation priorities and allocating resources more efficiently.
Organizationally, BPBD has developed adaptive decision-making mechanisms that allow rapid coordination across departments responsible for prevention, preparedness, emergency response, and recovery. This flexibility enhances institutional readiness in unpredictable fire conditions.
Program strategies implemented by BPBD include satellite-based hotspot monitoring, community awareness campaigns, volunteer training, and disaster preparedness simulations. These initiatives are designed to strengthen early response capacity at the local level.
However, the effectiveness of community outreach programs remains limited, particularly in rural areas where traditional land-clearing practices involving burning are still widely used.
From a resource perspective, BPBD benefits from trained personnel and the use of geographic information systems to support risk mapping and monitoring. Volunteer involvement also plays an essential role in addressing personnel shortages during fire-prone periods.
Despite these strengths, budget constraints and uneven infrastructure distribution continue to limit the expansion of mitigation programs, especially in remote high-risk areas.
Institutionally, BPBD functions as the main coordinating body linking multiple stakeholders, including the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), district governments, and technical agencies. Integrated command posts serve as key coordination platforms during mitigation operations.
Collaboration with universities and research institutions further supports evidence-based policymaking and technological innovation in fire risk management.
Nevertheless, overlapping authority among institutions remains a structural challenge that affects coordination effectiveness. Strengthening regulatory frameworks and collaborative leadership is therefore essential to enhance institutional performance.
Overall, the study emphasizes that institutional resilience depends not only on internal organizational capacity but also on sustained cross-sector cooperation and adaptive governance practices.
As climate change continues to intensify ecological risks, strengthening BPBD’s institutional resilience is increasingly critical for achieving sustainable and proactive disaster mitigation strategies in South Sumatra.
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