Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – The Ministry of Forestry and related ministries and agencies have strengthened national coordination to tackle this year’s forest and land fire (karhutla) threat. The tactical measures were consolidated during a Special Coordination Meeting (Rakorsus) on 2026 Karhutla Control, themed “Synergy for the Nation in Facing El Niño 2026 and 2027,” chaired by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago in Jakarta on Thursday (6/18).
The Coordinating Minister stressed that forest fire control has a direct bearing on national resilience, the economy, and diplomatic relations, making collaborative approaches and rapid response essential on the ground.
“The success of forest fire control rests on readiness and prevention before fires grow out of control, not simply extinguishing fires after they have already spread,” the Coordinating Minister said. Special attention has been directed at six fire-prone provinces with vast peat ecosystems, namely Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.
In his report, Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni underlined the importance of remaining vigilant about the four-year forest fire recurrence cycle, particularly given this year’s indications of dry weather conditions.
“Historical trends show we are facing the challenge of a recurring fire cycle that demands extra vigilance. This year’s dry season has arrived earlier and the challenges are real, so we cannot afford to be complacent. I am also calling for full commitment from all forestry concession holders to be directly responsible for fire prevention and hotspot monitoring within their working areas,” Minister Raja Antoni said.
During the meeting, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the 2026 dry season is predicted to arrive earlier, be drier, and last longer, with the peak expected between July and September due to developing El Niño conditions. In response to this projection, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and governors of fire-prone provinces declared readiness to mobilize personnel, activate field command posts, and establish Karhutla Emergency Standby status in priority areas including Riau, West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, and Jambi.
As a concrete operational step, the government has activated the 2026 Karhutla Response Coordination Desk in accordance with Presidential Instruction No. 3 of 2020. The desk integrates early monitoring, prevention patrols, Weather Modification Operations (OMC), ground and aerial firefighting by Manggala Agni and task forces, and multi-tiered law enforcement covering administrative, civil, and criminal measures against both individuals and corporations found in violation.
The intensive and sustained cross-sector synergy in forest fire control also serves as a crucial instrument in curbing national carbon emissions to support the success of Indonesia’s FOLU Net Sink 2030 agenda. (*)
