Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Hanif Faisol Nurofiq urged stronger coordination between central and regional governments to address the rising risk of forest and land fires (karhutla) in 2026. The statement was delivered during the National Coordination Meeting on Forest Fire Control held in Jakarta on April 7, 2026, following a significant increase in hotspot detections.
Based on monitoring from Terra and Aqua satellites, Indonesia recorded approximately 700 high-confidence hotspots as of April 5, 2026, nearly tripling compared to the same period in early 2025. Burned land area also surged, reaching 32,637.48 hectares by February 2026, marking a twentyfold increase year-on-year.
Hanif emphasized that forest fire control efforts reflect a broader commitment to humanitarian protection and ecosystem sustainability. He stated that operational measures must be strengthened and implemented collectively in line with Instruksi Presiden Nomor 3 Tahun 2020 on forest and land fire mitigation.
The BMKG has projected that the 2026 dry season will significantly impact multiple sectors, including agriculture, plantations, environmental quality, and water availability, while increasing the risk of forest fires.
Hanif instructed regional governments to take immediate strategic actions, including declaring emergency preparedness status, intensifying preventive measures, ensuring readiness of human resources and infrastructure, and reactivating integrated task forces at provincial and district levels.
He also stressed the importance of strict and consistent law enforcement against parties responsible for forest fires, while urging the public to avoid land clearing through burning practices.
Hanif highlighted that forest and land fires are among the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating global warming. He warned that their impacts extend beyond environmental damage, causing chronic health problems and economic losses amounting to trillions of rupiah.
The government reaffirmed that forest fire control is not a routine task but a collective responsibility requiring strong synergy among all stakeholders to address climate challenges and safeguard future generations. (*)
