Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Rohmat Marzuki has called on young people to take a leading role in preventing forest and land fires, emphasizing that the campaign “Don’t Let It Burn” represents a collective commitment rather than a mere slogan.
The statement was delivered during the Youth Talk Take Action (YTTA) Series 3 event held in a hybrid format on April 8, 2026, focusing on youth-driven action to address forest fire risks in Indonesia.
He highlighted that forest and land fires are a complex issue with wide-ranging impacts, including public health risks from haze, economic disruption, and potential cross-border environmental concerns. Therefore, prevention must remain the top priority.
Referring to projections from Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, the Deputy Minister noted that the 2026 dry season is expected to arrive earlier and last longer, with increasing likelihood of El Niño conditions in the middle to late part of the year, potentially heightening the risk of drought and wildfires.
He stressed that preparedness cannot be delayed, as prevention is significantly more effective than response efforts. The government continues to strengthen forest fire control through integrated patrols, early warning systems, law enforcement, and monitoring platforms such as Sipongi.
However, he underlined that many fire incidents originate from human activities, making public awareness—especially among youth—crucial. With more than 60 million young people in Indonesia, he described this demographic as a powerful force for driving environmental change.
The Deputy Minister encouraged young people to utilize digital platforms and social media to promote awareness campaigns, while also adopting responsible behavior in forest areas, such as avoiding open burning and improper disposal of cigarette butts.
He also expressed appreciation to all stakeholders involved in forest fire mitigation, including Manggala Agni, forest rangers, the military and police, National Disaster Management Agency, BMKG, regional governments, and community fire care groups.
Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Human Resources Development and Extension Agency Indra Exploitasia reported that youth forestry development programmes have engaged 5,346 participants nationwide under the Forest Conservation Youth initiative.
Of these, 4,423 participants were actively involved in the Youth Talk Take Action programme. Additional initiatives include the Bestari Rimba programme involving around 500 students and the Forestry Youth Trainership, which has trained 260 participants in green entrepreneurship.
The event also marked the launch of the Youth Take Action Challenge, encouraging young people to create digital campaigns and educational content to support forest fire prevention efforts. (*)
