Enviro News Asia, Riau — The Indonesian government has intensified efforts to control forest and land fires in Riau through coordinated ground and aerial firefighting operations. Joint teams comprising the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia’s Manggala Agni, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (POLRI), regional disaster management agencies (BPBD), and other stakeholders are prioritising fire containment to prevent further spread and potential haze impacts on residential areas.
A total of 160 Manggala Agni personnel have been deployed for active firefighting, while an additional 80 personnel remain on standby for patrols and early detection of new hotspots. Reinforcements have also been mobilised, including one unit from the Rengat Operational Area to Pulau Mendol in Pelalawan, units from the Siak Operational Area to Bengkalis, and additional support from the Bukit Tempurung Operational Area in Jambi to strengthen operations in Dumai.
Fire incidents have been recorded across several districts, including Kampar, Bengkalis, Siak, and Pelalawan, affecting various land-use categories such as Production Forests, Convertible Production Forests, Conservation Areas, and Other Land-Use Areas. Some fire locations are situated near community and company oil palm plantations, as well as close to residential settlements.
Preliminary indications suggest that several fires originated from land-clearing activities involving uncontrolled burning of vegetation residues, exacerbated by strong winds. Fire suppression efforts face significant challenges due to nearly 20 consecutive days without rainfall, limited water sources, difficult terrain access, and highly flammable dry vegetation—particularly in peatland areas where groundwater levels have dropped to approximately minus 90 centimetres.
Ferdian Krisnanto, Head of the Forest Fire Control Office for the Sumatra Region under the Directorate General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Forestry, stated that the primary strategy is to halt the advance of fires to prevent further expansion. He noted that the combination of dry weather, strong winds, and highly combustible fuel conditions has made field operations extremely demanding, necessitating measured deployment of personnel and cross-regional support.
He added that Weather Modification Operations are a crucial component in accelerating fire control efforts, especially in areas with limited water availability. The public has also been urged to refrain from any form of land burning, as current conditions are highly conducive to large-scale fires.
The Riau Provincial Government has declared an Emergency Preparedness Status for forest and land fires through Decree No. 102/2026, effective from 13 February to 30 November 2026. A dedicated Forest and Land Fire Task Force will be established, alongside the submission of requests for additional emergency response support.
As part of strengthened response measures, BNPB, through the Riau Provincial BPBD, has conducted Weather Modification Operations using a Cessna Grand Caravan C208 aircraft, dispersing one tonne of salt over areas around Siak and Pekanbaru on Monday, 16 February 2026.
The government expects that these integrated measures will effectively contain the fires, ensuring Riau remains free from haze ahead of the upcoming Ramadan period and allowing communities to carry out daily activities safely and in good health. (*)
