Enviro News Asa, Pekanbaru – The Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening national mitigation efforts against forest and land fires (karhutla) amid rising fire risks. The commitment was emphasized by Environment Minister and Head of BPLH Moh Jumhur Hidayat while opening the 2026 People’s Environmental Week and National Environmental Consultation (KNLH) in Pekanbaru, Riau.
The event, initiated by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI), brought together civil society and environmental stakeholders. Minister Jumhur said the government’s participation reflected its commitment to working with various elements of society to advance ecological justice and sustainable environmental recovery.
He emphasized that cooperation between the government, pro-environment law enforcement authorities, and communities is essential to strengthening environmental protection and recovery efforts.
Regarding the current karhutla situation, Minister Jumhur said the government had established an integrated cross-sector command structure to accelerate early detection and suppression of hotspots. The operation involves Manggala Agni, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and communities involved in fire prevention.
The government is prioritizing rapid response to prevent emerging fires from spreading into larger ecological disasters. Minister Jumhur also noted that compliance among concession holders has improved, particularly in maintaining peatland hydrology, helping reduce fires within concession areas.
However, he identified open-access areas as a major remaining challenge. Traditional land-clearing practices continue to be found in some areas and can contribute to the spread of fires.
As part of longer-term prevention measures during the dry season, the government is strengthening corporate monitoring, issuing firm warnings against land-burning activities, and improving coordination with local governments to protect fire-prone areas.
KLH/BPLH is also calling on stakeholders to strengthen cooperation at the community level while combining law enforcement with grassroots mitigation measures. The government expects stronger collaboration to help prevent forest and land fires and support broader efforts to achieve ecological justice and a more sustainable Indonesia. (*)
