Forestry Minister states coordination and public participation key to curbing forest and land fires

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has emphasised that coordination between relevant ministries and institutions, along with public participation, is key to handling forest and land fires (karhutla) in Indonesia, which are showing an improving trend.

“We have witnessed that the karhutla figures have, Alhamdulillah, continued to decline year on year, including during the El Niño period,” the Minister stated in Jakarta on Wednesday.

“This is due to the improving coordination between ministries, institutions, and central and regional governments under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto,” he added.

According to data from the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut), karhutla in 2015 covered 2.6 million hectares. This figure then fell to 1.6 million hectares in 2019, and further to 1.1 million hectares in 2023.

“In 2025, we have also successfully reduced it from 376,805.05 hectares in 2024 to 359,619.42 hectares,” the Minister said.

According to him, prevention and mitigation efforts cannot be shouldered by a single institution alone, but must be a collective responsibility.

“This is part of our desire to dismantle sectoral egos; we must work together, shared responsibility cannot be burdened on just one institution,” he stated.

In addition, Raja Antoni assessed that public participation is a crucial factor in early prevention efforts. He mentioned the presence of Fire-Caring Communities (Masyarakat Peduli Api or MPA) spread across various regions, which can help identify potential fires from the outset, alongside the utilisation of technology.

On the other hand, he also assured that law enforcement will continue to be strengthened. The government, he said, involves law enforcement apparatus to firmly prosecute perpetrators of land burning proven to violate regulations.

The Ministry of Forestry, through the Directorate of Forest Fire Control, has undertaken various strategic measures, including strengthening integrated patrols, optimising hotspot monitoring technology, and enhancing the capacity of human resources in the field.

“Karhutla control efforts must be carried out in an integrated manner from the centre to the regions, involving the public. Education and empowerment of the community are crucial factors in curbing the incidence of karhutla,” he said.