Ministry of Forestry warns of forest fire impacts on ecosystems and economy

The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has warned of the significant impact of forest and land fires (karhutla), which not only destroy forest areas but also affect ecosystems, public health, and socio-economic activities.

“Controlling forest fires is not just a matter of extinguishing flames. Fires will have a significant impact on ecosystems, forests, biodiversity, and subsequently public health, as well as impacting the socio-economic activities of the community,” said Haruni Krisnawati, Expert Staff to the Minister of Forestry for Climate Change, during a coordination meeting for forest fire prevention in Bengkulu Province on Tuesday.

Haruni stated that the impacts of forest fires must be a primary concern in fire control efforts in Bengkulu Province. She noted that handling forest fires is not sufficient if it is only oriented towards suppression once a fire has already occurred.

According to her, forest fires also impact the environment because they can disrupt the functions of ecosystems and forests. Therefore, every effort to prevent fires also means protecting areas that serve vital environmental functions.

In addition to environmental impacts, Haruni mentioned that fires can affect public health. These impacts can also extend to the social and economic activities of communities living around the affected areas.

“And certainly, an important factor is that fires also increase greenhouse gas emissions,” she added.

According to Haruni, every forest and land area successfully protected from fire is significant in maintaining environmental functions. Such efforts are also linked to carbon sequestration efforts and supporting the achievement of Indonesia’s climate targets.

“With that, every hectare of forest and land we successfully protect from fire means we are preserving carbon stocks, maintaining ecosystem functions, and supporting the achievement of Indonesia’s climate targets,” she said.

Haruni stated that the Ministry of Forestry is prepared to provide assistance and supervision to Bengkulu Province in efforts to prevent and control forest fires.

“The Ministry of Forestry is certainly ready to provide assistance and supervision in the prevention and control of forest fires in Bengkulu Province,” she said.

She reiterated three key messages from the Minister of Forestry: rapid coordination, tangible collaboration, and leadership capable of making decisions and deploying resources when needed.

“Above all, prevention must be our priority,” Haruni concluded.