Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – In response to the surge in forest and land fires (karhutla) in Riau, Minister of Environment and Forestry Hanif Faisol Nurofiq immediately intensified coordination with government partners such as the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (POLRI), the Riau Provincial Government, and local district/city governments in fire-affected areas.
Additionally, Minister Hanif emphasized that the private sector must take an active role in the prevention and control of forest and land fires.
For this reason, he immediately stepped up coordinated response efforts with PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP), Sinar Mas Group, Pertamina Hulu Rokan, and PTPN IV Regional III to strengthen cross-sector collaboration.
“In this climate crisis and worsening air quality caused by land fires, private sector involvement is no longer just a form of social participation—it is a responsibility tied to every concession permit,” Minister Hanif firmly stated.
He further urged that companies should not merely react once fires have spread, but instead be proactive in building early mitigation systems.
“Forest and land fire prevention is not an option—it is a shared obligation. The business sector must be on the front lines, not just as economic players, but as environmental stewards. We can no longer wait until fires grow out of control before taking action,” Minister Hanif stressed in his directive.
As a follow-up to the meeting, RAPP and Sinar Mas Group have installed no-burning signs in vulnerable areas, expanded the “Fire-Aware Community” program, and deployed water bombing helicopters for rapid fire suppression.
In the Rokan Hulu region, they have also reinforced community-based monitoring and conducted regular ground patrols.
Pertamina Hulu Rokan, within a week, will begin constructing canal blocks to maintain peatland moisture as an early preventive measure.
The three companies—RAPP, Sinar Mas, and Pertamina—also agreed to form a dedicated Firefighting Team to coordinate swift and integrated field responses.
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry is providing personnel support, inspection equipment, and hotspot monitoring during field coordination efforts.
The ministry has also instructed companies to immediately increase personnel, logistics, and heavy equipment deployment in high-risk areas.
“I do not want to see any concession land burn without a prompt response. Every company is required to activate early warning systems and cooperate with local communities and governments. If anyone is negligent, we will not hesitate to take firm action,” Minister Hanif concluded.
He underscored that real collaboration and commitment are the only way to stop the recurring forest and land fire disasters.
Protecting the environment is not only a regulatory mandate—it’s a matter of life safety, economic sustainability, and national dignity in the eyes of the world. (*)
