BNPB: In three months, 2,713 hectares of land in Riau burned

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has recorded a total area of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Riau Province reaching 2,713.26 hectares over the past three months, from 1 January to 24 March 2026.

Head of the BNPB Centre for Disaster Data, Information, and Communication, Abdul Muhari, stated in Jakarta on Thursday that the figure is an accumulation of data as of Wednesday (25/3), showing an increasing trend in burned areas at several strategic points.

The BNPB Central Directorate of Operational Control confirmed, based on the latest reporting period received, that there has been a significant addition to the burned area in Siak Regency, Pelalawan Regency, Indragiri Hulu Regency, and Indragiri Hilir Regency.

According to Abdul, the Riau Provincial Government has set an emergency alert status for karhutla, effective until Sunday, 30 November, to accelerate on-site coordination and handling.

BNPB, together with the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Manggala Agni teams from the Ministry of Forestry in the Sumatra region, and related parties, continues to carry out intensive emergency response efforts, including extinguishing hotspots via land routes and aerial operations using helicopters.

BNPB urges the public to remain alert to the potential for hydrometeorological disasters and calls for increased collective preparedness to prevent the expansion of forest and land fires in other vulnerable areas.