The central Kalimantan forest now faces a grave threat from widespread forest and land fires. In addition to damaging vegetation and wildlife habitats, the blazes also produce haze that endangers public health. According to a report by Reuters, Indonesia is enduring its most severe fire season in over a decade, intensified by drought linked to El Niño.
Yet, amid this peril, a group of women chose not to stand idle. Dressed in bright red protective gear, they rode motorbikes to patrol areas, monitor hotspots, and help extinguish flames that threatened their neighborhoods. They call themselves “The Power of Mama”.
 The Power of Mama action / Foto: Instagram.com/@thepowerofmama_official |
The Power of Mama is a volunteer collective that engages women in forest‑fire prevention and response. A September 2026 story in Reuters reported that the group comprises more than 140 women who conduct patrols in several villages across West Kalimantan.
The initiative began in 2022 through the Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI), an environmental organization that delivered fire‑fighting training to women from four villages in the Ketapang region.
Participants received knowledge and practical skills to assist in tackling fires within their communities. Mita Anggraini, a group supervisor from YIARI, told Reuters that the women feel a deep ownership of the forest and strive to protect it with all their heart.
<section id="section-detail-2" class="multi-card " data-page="2" data-page-title="Bekerja Tanpa Menerima Upah" dtr-evt="halaman selanjutnya" dtr-sec="halaman selanjutnya" dtr-act="tombol halaman selanjutnya" dtr-id="325968" dtr-ttl="Bekerja Tanpa Menerima Upah" onclick="_pt(this)" readability="19">
<h2 class="fw-bold fs-5">Bekerja Tanpa Menerima Upah</h2>
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<img src="https://akcdn.detik.net.id/visual/2026/10/17/aksi-the-power-of-mamafoto-instagramcomthepowerofmamaofficial-1792573515678.jpeg?w=700&q=90" alt title/>
<p>The Power of Mama action / Foto: Instagram.com/@thepowerofmama_official</p>
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<p>Members of The Power of Mama wear vivid red protective suits. They conduct motorcycle patrols to locate hotspots and aid in fire suppression efforts.</p>
The volunteers also advise locals against using fire to clear land for oil‑palm plantations. Burning for land clearance can raise the likelihood of fires, especially when the surroundings are dry.
These women serve as volunteers without any financial compensation. Nevertheless, YIARI provides operational support such as mobile phones and meal allowances to assist their work.
Even though their duties are limited, the presence of The Power of Mama helps local efforts to stop fires from spreading and to safeguard the environment where they live.
Relawan Merasakan Langsung Dampak Kebakaran Hutan
The Power of Mama action / Foto: Instagram.com/@thepowerofmama_official
For some members of The Power of Mama, forest fires are not an abstract issue. The effects are felt directly by families, especially when haze envelops the settlement and degrades air quality.
Elly Marlina, a 46‑year‑old volunteer, recalled that her children once contracted respiratory infections. Their recovery took more than a year, illustrating how fire’s consequences can reach inside households.
Juniarni, a 48‑year‑old farmer and mother of three, notices environmental changes through a simple sign: bird song. In her village of Sungai Awan Kiri, West Kalimantan, the usual chirping is now rare. Juniarni regards this silence as an indicator of fire’s impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
These women’s experiences show that forest damage extends beyond charred trees and darkened soil. The lives of wildlife and the well‑being of residents also suffer.
Menghadapi Api di Bawah Tanah
The Power of Mama action / Foto: Instagram.com/@thepowerofmama_official
The challenges faced by The Power of Mama are not always visible on the surface. In peatland areas, fire can continue to smolder underground even after visible flames are extinguished, making containment harder, especially during the dry season when water sources dwindle.
Irma, a 38‑year‑old volunteer and mother of two, points out that putting out surface flames is only part of the battle. Fires can persist beneath the peat soil, and when the ground is dry, the highly combustible peat can make fires difficult to control, allowing them to resurface even after visible areas have been tackled.
Irma also notes that conditions feel more severe in 2026 because water supplies in the region have dried up, complicating fire‑fighting when water demand is high. Government data cited by Reuters shows that between January and July 2026, fires ravaged roughly 202,000 hectares across Indonesia. West Kalimantan was the hardest hit, with more than 38,000 hectares burned.
These figures illustrate that the volunteers’ struggle unfolds amid serious environmental problems. Prevention, hotspot monitoring, and fire response become crucial to lower the risk of fire expansion, particularly in peatland areas.
Harapan The Power of Mama
The Power of Mama action / Foto: Instagram.com/@thepowerofmama_official
The efforts of The Power of Mama demonstrate that environmental concern can arise from everyday life experiences. For these women, the forest is not merely a natural landscape to protect, but an essential part of community life that depends on its health.
Even though they receive no payment for their volunteer duties, The Power of Mama members continue to take on roles within their capabilities. This story serves as a reminder that safeguarding the environment requires many participants. When forests burn, the stakes include not only ecological preservation but also public health and the future of coming generations.
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