The West Java Provincial Government is strengthening measures to\nprevent forest and land fires (karhutla) in anticipation of increased\nrisks during the dry season. Efforts include patrols in vulnerable\nareas, monitoring forest cover conditions, public education, and\nenhanced cross-sector coordination.<\/p>\n
Head of the West Java Forestry Service, Dodit Ardian Pancapana,\nstated that these steps are being taken to minimise the potential for\nkarhutla as early as possible. According to him, prevention needs to be\nbolstered as weather conditions become increasingly dry.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with various parties, we continue to intensify regular\npatrols in vulnerable areas, monitor forest cover conditions, promote\neducational outreach, and strengthen cross-sector coordination to\nminimise the risk of forest and land fires,\u201d he said in a written\nstatement on Friday (14\/8\/2026).<\/p>\n
He also stressed the importance of the community\u2019s role in preventing\nfires. Residents are urged not to clear land by burning, to avoid\nburning rubbish near forest areas, to ensure campfire remnants are\ncompletely extinguished, and not to discard cigarette butts\ncarelessly.<\/p>\n
If indications or hotspots are found, the public is expected to\nreport them immediately to the nearest agency.<\/p>\n
Vigilance needs to be heightened because dry weather, low rainfall,\nand reduced moisture content in vegetation make forest and land areas\nmore susceptible to burning. The majority of karhutla incidents in\nIndonesia are also recorded as being caused by negligence and human\nactivity.<\/p>\n
The impact of fires is not limited to damaging vegetation. Karhutla\ncan also threaten wildlife habitats, degrade soil quality, accelerate\ngreenhouse gas emissions, and trigger smoke that reduces air quality and\naffects residents\u2019 health, particularly children and the elderly.<\/p>\n
\u201cPreserving forests as life support systems, providers of clean\nwater, and carbon sinks is a shared responsibility,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n
Prevention efforts are also being carried out by the West Java\nRegional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) to anticipate karhutla,\nespecially as the dry season sets in.<\/p>\n
Head of BPBD West Java, Teten Ali, said the measures include\nincreased monitoring of fire-prone areas, dissemination of early warning\ninformation, and strengthened coordination with district\/city BPBDs, the\nIndonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri),\nlocal governments, volunteers, and the community.<\/p>\n
BPBD is also enhancing education to ensure the public does not burn\nland carelessly, does not discard cigarette butts in dry areas, and is\nmore concerned about the surrounding environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe readiness of personnel and firefighting equipment is also being\ncontinuously strengthened to enable a rapid response if an incident\noccurs,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Through the synergy of various parties, the West Java BPBD is working\nto reduce the risk of land fires while ensuring that handling can be\ncarried out quickly, precisely, and in an integrated manner. These\nmeasures are expected to minimise the impact of karhutla on the\ncommunity and the environment.<\/p>\n
According to BPBD West Java data as of 10 August 2026, there have\nbeen 90 karhutla incidents across 72 sub-districts in West Java.\nSumedang Regency recorded the highest number of incidents with 16,\nfollowed by Majalengka Regency with 11 and Bandung Regency with 8.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/west-java-provincial-government-strengthens-forest-fire-prevention-measures-during-dry-season-1786704887", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }