Papua on Alert for Forest Fire Threats until November 2026
The Papua Provincial Government has begun strengthening anticipatory measures to face the threat of forest and land fires (karhutla) and droughts triggered by the El Niño phenomenon. Papua Governor Mathius D. Fakhiri has requested all regional heads not to wait for disasters to occur, but rather to implement early prevention through intensive coordination with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda).
These instructions were delivered by Fakhiri during the Papua Forkopimda Coordination Meeting regarding Forest Fires and Drought due to El Niño impacts at the Lukmen Hall, Dok V State Building, Jayapura, on Wednesday (26/8). Given that hot weather conditions are expected to persist until November, the potential for forest fires in several regions of Papua is now a serious concern.
“I request that regional heads ensure coordination and collaboration remain uninterrupted. Papua has immense fire potential. Initial coordination must be carried out intensively; all regional heads must coordinate with Forkopimda,” said Fakhiri.
Fakhiri emphasised that preventing forest fires requires synergy between the provincial government, regencies/cities, the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces), the Polri (National Police), and the community. This is crucial so that Papua does not experience the impact of large-scale fires as seen in other regions of Indonesia.
In addition to weather factors, agricultural land clearing activities are a primary focus. Fakhiri warned that the development of the agricultural sector must not be accompanied by land-clearing methods that risk triggering fires. He requested that the community and business actors stop land-burning practices and switch to safer methods.
“In land clearing, do not use burning. If possible, bury it; do not let forest fires occur in Papua Province,” he asserted. He added that there should be no more land burning by either individuals or the business sector.
Regarding drought management, the Governor also requested support in personnel and equipment from the TNI and Polri. Facilities such as water cannon vehicles are expected to be stationed to assist in the distribution of clean water to communities affected by drought.
“We need our friends in the TNI-Polri because of the water cannons. Besides being the frontline, if a drought occurs and the community needs water, they can also be used to assist the government,” explained Fakhiri.
The Papua Provincial Government is now beginning to map vulnerable areas and build a rapid communication system between agencies. This swift and collaborative step is expected to be able to extinguish potential fires before they spread, and ensure readiness in facing the impacts of El Niño until the end of the year.