Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Governments of Indonesia and South Korea have reinforced their collaboration on forest and land fire management through the development of a Forest and Land Fire Management Center in Ogan Komering Ilir.
The initiative includes the construction of supporting facilities such as the Manggala Agni dormitory, marked by a groundbreaking ceremony held on Earth Day 2026. The project forms part of a broader cooperation framework built on four key pillars: establishing a command and training center, strengthening the capacity of fire brigades, providing operational infrastructure, and enhancing information and communication technology systems for fire detection.
Director of Forest Fire Control at the Ministry of Forestry, Thomas Nifinluri, highlighted that climate projections from the BMKG indicate an earlier onset of El Niño in the second half of 2026, increasing the risk, frequency, and intensity of forest and land fires.
He emphasized that effective fire management requires sustained international cooperation, including knowledge exchange, technological support, and integrated strategies to enhance preparedness and response.
The collaboration is supported by the Korea Forest Service and aims to position Indonesia’s Manggala Agni units as a center of excellence in forest fire management.
Counselor of the South Korean Embassy, Ha Kyung Soo, stated that the dormitory development will strengthen training, coordination, and operational effectiveness under the joint project on forest and land fire management systems in South Sumatra.
The center has already been utilized for international training programs, including peatland fire management training organized by the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization, with participants from several ASEAN countries.
`1This partnership is expected to deliver significant benefits not only for Indonesia but also for regional and global efforts in mitigating forest and land fires through improved capacity, coordination, and technological integration. (*)
