Environment Minister urges local governments in fire-prone areas to declare emergency alert

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has urged local government heads to declare emergency alert status, particularly in areas prone to forest and land fires (karhutla), to ensure optimal mitigation measures. During the Forest and Land Fire Coordination Meeting for 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday, the Minister of Environment/Head of the Environment Control Agency (BPLH) Hanif Faisol Nurofiq requested attending local leaders to promptly establish this status, enabling interventions to suppress potential karhutla and maximise handling efforts. “As conveyed by the speakers earlier, only two provinces have declared emergency status to date, namely West Kalimantan and Riau. We urge all governors and regents to immediately declare emergency alert conditions to facilitate the movement of central support to the regions,” stated Environment Minister Hanif. Prevention and mitigation steps are specifically targeted at six karhutla-prone provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. Most of these vulnerable areas feature extensive peatland ecosystems. “Therefore, maintaining high peat groundwater levels is crucial; by knowing the peat water table height and local climate conditions, we can extend rainfall periods,” explained Minister Hanif. Up to February 2026, data from the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) recorded indications of karhutla covering 32,637.43 hectares. In March 2026, based on field data analysis, the estimated karhutla area is projected to reach 10,175.48 hectares, with the highest in Riau Province at 8,858.87 hectares, followed by West Kalimantan at 1,134.16 hectares, Central Kalimantan at 34.86 hectares, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) at 32.28 hectares, and Riau Islands at 37 hectares.