Peran Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) dalam Mitigasi Kebakaran Lahan di Kecamatan Banjarmasin Utara

Land fires are a recurring environmental threat in North Banjarmasin District, impacting ecological, health, and socio-economic aspects of residents' lives. This article examines the role of the Banjarmasin City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in implementing land fire mitigation in the district, as well as the associated challenges. The study employs a descriptive qualitative method, gathering data through in-depth interviews, field observations, and document analysis involving informants purposively selected from the BPBD, the military (TNI), the Fire Department, district and sub-district administrations, local community leaders (RT/RW), and affected residents. Data analysis followed a process of reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing, with validity verified through source, technique, and time triangulation. Findings reveal that the Banjarmasin City BPBD carries out land fire mitigation through five roles: prevention (via public awareness campaigns and volunteer training), preparedness (via alert posts and rapid resident reporting), emergency response (via coordination with the Fire Department and private fire brigades), internal cross-divisional coordination, and community education and engagement. However, implementation faces six major obstacles: limited human resources, a lack of facilities and infrastructure, suboptimal inter-agency coordination, low participation among some residents, the characteristics of peatlands combined with extreme weather, and weak administrative and policy support. Overall, the BPBD acts more as a coordinator and facilitator than as a technical firefighting operator; consequently, the effectiveness of land fire mitigation in North Banjarmasin relies heavily on synergy between the BPBD, relevant agencies, and active community participation.