Enviro News Asia, Pontianak — The Indonesian government has intensified its preparedness efforts to address forest and land fires (karhutla) ahead of the 2026 dry season by holding a national readiness roll call in West Kalimantan.
The preparedness ceremony, held at the Governor’s Office in Pontianak, was led by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago. He emphasized that President Prabowo Subianto has given strong attention to forest fire control and instructed authorities to maintain and improve current achievements.
“The President has placed significant emphasis on forest fire management. Achievements that have been made must be maintained and further improved,” Djamari said.
He stressed that successful fire control depends on strong collaboration among all stakeholders, including central and regional governments, the military and police, the private sector, and local communities.
National data shows that from January 1 to March 31, 2026, forest and land fires affected 55,324.2 hectares across Indonesia. The provinces with the largest burned areas include West Kalimantan, Riau, Riau Islands, Lampung, and Central Kalimantan.
In West Kalimantan, fire control teams, including Manggala Agni and the provincial forest fire task force, conducted 489 firefighting operations during the same period, covering approximately 1,845.59 hectares.
To strengthen preparedness, the West Kalimantan provincial government has declared an emergency alert status for forest fires from February 2 to November 15, 2026. Preventive measures include cross-sector coordination, early detection of hotspots, integrated patrols, public awareness campaigns, weather modification operations, and the provision of equipment and aerial support.
Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni highlighted that Indonesia has made progress in controlling forest fires through improved coordination and lessons learned from past experiences.
“We are a learning nation. We continue to improve based on past shortcomings, and in recent years, forest fire incidents have shown a declining trend,” he said.
He added that strengthening synergy between ministries and harmonizing coordination between central and regional governments have been key factors in this progress. The Ministry of Forestry has also urged local governments in fire-prone areas to promptly declare emergency alert status to enable rapid deployment of national support, including weather modification operations recommended by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency.
Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that prevention remains the most effective approach, particularly through proper peatland water management to maintain groundwater levels and reduce fire risks.
The preparedness roll call marked a critical step in ensuring the readiness of personnel, equipment, and coordination mechanisms ahead of the dry season. Authorities expect that strengthened collaboration will help minimize forest fire incidents and protect both the environment and sustainable development.
Following the ceremony, a coordination meeting on disaster management was held, bringing together key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Environment, the National Disaster Management Agency, BMKG, and regional officials, to align strategies and ensure readiness for potential forest fires and related disasters during the 2026 dry season. (*)
