Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held a meeting with a number of\nministers to discuss forest and land fires at the Presidential Palace in\nJakarta on Monday (12 October).<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung\nAbdurachman said several ministers attended, either in person or online,\nincluding the military commander, the national police chief and the\nMinistry of Forestry.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday we are discussing forest and land fires, because he is very\nserious about dealing with them,\u201d Dudung said at the palace.<\/p>\n
Dudung said Prabowo was paying close attention to fires affecting\nseveral parts of Indonesia. The government would make every effort to\naddress the problem, including smoke that has spread to neighbouring\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impact is felt in neighbouring countries, which is why he is\nvery concerned. There are many peatlands that are difficult to\nextinguish,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Dudung added that he had prepared a presentation for Prabowo covering\nthe response so far.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat has been dealt with, the percentage completed, and the concrete\nsteps we will take next, including which areas will be prioritised,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Forest and land fires have affected several parts of Indonesia. In\nWest Kalimantan, 46 Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) have been\nevacuated and rescued.<\/p>\n
The West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and\nthe Indonesian Foundation for Orangutan Rehabilitation and Conservation\n(YIARI) said the orangutans had been rescued between August and 9\nOctober 2026 during the fire season.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt least 46 orangutans have been rescued from burned habitat.\nProviding safe habitat remains a further challenge for efforts to\nconserve this protected species,\u201d said Murlan Dameria Pane, head of the\nWest Kalimantan BKSDA, in Pontianak on Sunday (11 October).<\/p>\n
Of those rescued, eight orangutans declared healthy began being\nrelocated on 9 October to Batu Nyambu Protection Forest in Ketapang\nRegency. The relocation was the next stage after the animals were\nevacuated from burned habitat and underwent health checks and\nobservation.<\/p>\n
The effects of the fires have also been felt in Musi Rawas Regency,\nSouth Sumatra, where smoke still blanketed the area on Monday morning\n(12 October). Thick haze over the past five days has disrupted\nresidents\u2019 activities, particularly those of farmers who work\noutdoors.<\/p>\n
Smoke remained dense around Tugu Mulyo subdistrict on Monday morning.\nResidents said air quality was unhealthy and was affecting daily\nactivities and health; the haze also obscured views of the Barisan\nMountains in Sumatra.<\/p>\n
As well as reducing visibility, the smoke can affect respiratory\nhealth and irritate the eyes.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prabowo-holds-meeting-on-forest-and-land-fire-response-1791802344", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }