Minister urges regions to reactivate fire volunteers
“Regional heads are encouraged to reactivate Fire Care Community groups that have been established across all regions,” he said in Jambi on Saturday.
He also called on governors, district heads, and mayors to promptly report the current status of forest and land fire emergencies to enable timely operational support from the central government.
“Declaring an emergency status should not be a concern, as it does not reduce the credibility of regional leaders. Instead, it helps streamline bureaucratic processes for coordinated response,” he added.
Nurofiq further urged governors to strengthen coordination with concession holders to discuss preventive measures against land fires, in line with Presidential Instruction Number 3 of 2020.
Referring to projections from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) presented during a coordination meeting last week, he noted that the 2026 dry season is expected to coincide with a weak El Niño.
Although the El Niño is forecast to be mild, its overlap with a slightly longer dry season could result in different conditions compared to 2025, he explained.
Based on the latest data, the total area affected by forest and land fires across Indonesia has reached 32,600 hectares, nearly twenty times higher than the 1,500 hectares recorded in the same period last year.
Most of the burned areas are located in Riau and West Kalimantan, prompting the minister to call for stronger coordination and preparedness among all stakeholders.
To support regional governments, the Ministry of Environment updates its integrated information system on peatland groundwater levels every Monday, enabling more effective monitoring at the local level.
The data is expected to assist relevant agencies, including BMKG and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), in implementing measures such as weather modification to mitigate fire risks.
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Translator: Agus Suprayitno, Raka Adji