Enviro News Asia, Riau – Personnel from the Forest and Land Fire Control Brigade Manggala Agni, under the Ministry of Forestry, together with a joint task force, have successfully brought under control forest and land fires in Bengkalis and Pelalawan regencies in Riau Province.
Head of the Sumatra Regional Forest Fire Control Center, Ferdian Krisnanto, said the teams on the ground are currently focusing on the cooling process to ensure that no remaining embers persist beneath the peatland surface.
“The team is still conducting cooling operations to prevent the possibility of the fire reigniting. Considering the high risk of smoke, we are carrying out a thorough mopping-up process to eliminate any remaining hotspots,” Ferdian said on Wednesday.
In Bengkalis Regency, the fire affected land in Sukarjo Mesim Village, Rupat District, with an estimated burned area of about 50 hectares within a Limited Production Forest zone.
Fire suppression efforts were carried out jointly by the Manggala Agni Sumatra V/Dumai operational unit along with the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Indonesian National Police, the Regional Disaster Management Agency, local government officials, Satpol PP officers, village authorities, the fire brigade of PT Sumatera Riang Lestari, and community-based fire prevention groups.
“Since this is a peatland fire, we must ensure that the area is completely secured so there is no chance for the fire to spread or reignite,” Ferdian emphasized.
Meanwhile, in Pelalawan Regency, a fire covering approximately 68.3 hectares occurred in Gambut Mutiara Village, Teluk Meranti District, within an area designated for other land uses. Manggala Agni teams, together with local fire-conscious community groups and PT TH Indo Plantation, continue to ensure that the fire suppression process is fully completed.
In addition to firefighting operations, Manggala Agni has intensified preventive measures through patrols and early detection efforts. From January to early March 2026, patrol teams monitored 80 fire-prone villages across North Sumatra, Riau, Riau Islands, Jambi, and South Sumatra.
“These patrols are not only about territorial monitoring but also about social engagement to help communities better understand the dangers of forest and land fires. Community involvement is key to effective prevention,” Ferdian added.
As an additional strategic measure, a weather modification operation is currently being conducted by the National Disaster Management Agency following a request from the Riau Provincial Government and recommendations from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency and the Ministry of Forestry.
The operation targets several areas in Riau, including Pelalawan, Bengkalis, Siak, and Dumai, with the aim of inducing rainfall to help moisten peatlands and reduce fire risks.
According to data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, the Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC) indicates that surface fuel dryness levels in Riau are expected to remain high in the coming days. Authorities therefore urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant and strengthen prevention efforts to anticipate the emergence of new hotspots. (*)
