Over the past two months, forest and land fires have continued to strike the Sukadana region, Kayong Utara Regency. The lack of rainfall during this dry season has caused the flames to spread further, consuming dry vegetation and triggering thick smoke that blankets residential areas. These conditions have deprived residents of basic needs, raised health concerns from air pollution, and disrupted the clean water supply that serves as the community's daily lifeline.

The impacts of the prolonged drought and water crisis are deeply felt by the residents of Nirmala Hamlet, Gunung Sembilan Village, Sukadana. For years, the community has relied on natural water streams originating from the Tambak Rawang Hamlet area at the foot of the hill. However, extreme heat over the past month caused this vital water flow to drop drastically until it dried up completely. A senior resident living there for over 50 years expressed that this crisis is the worst phenomenon ever encountered, with the main foothill water source drying up completely for the first time in memory. This critical situation forces residents, especially vulnerable groups at the far end of the village, to walk kilometers over rugged terrain in search of alternative wells or remaining water pools.

Responding to this emergency, the Alam Sehat Lestari Foundation (ASRI) acted swiftly to distribute 6,000 liters of clean water as disaster relief to Gunung Sembilan Village, thanks to solid support from donors. When the water tanker fleet arrived at the location, hundreds of residents were already waiting with buckets, jerrycans, and storage drums. An emotional atmosphere filled the queue, mostly made up of women alongside their children. Residents expressed relief for the aid arriving just as their household clean water reserves were completely exhausted.

This emergency response action was warmly welcomed and fully appreciated by the Gunung Sembilan Village Government. Village officials and local community leaders assisted directly in managing the queue and facilitating water distribution from late afternoon into the night to ensure every family was served fairly. This collaboration demonstrates strong community solidarity in the face of crisis.

Although the clean water relief brings temporary respite, this crisis underscores the urgency of long-term ecological prevention and management. Addressing land fires requires more than just emergency assistance when disasters strike; it demands structured mitigation steps such as restoring forest ecosystems that support water catchment, rewetting peatlands, educating against slash-and-burn land clearing, and providing adequate rainwater harvesting infrastructure. Continuous collaboration among the government, non-governmental organizations, and villagers is essential to strengthen Sukadana's environmental resilience against similar crisis threats in the future.