Prabowo pushes cassava flour innovation to extinguish forest fires

President Prabowo Subianto is encouraging the development of a fire suppressant based on cassava flour as an alternative to help tackle forest and land fires (karhutla).

While leading a coordination meeting on forest and land fire handling in South Sumatra on Monday, President Prabowo initially asked the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) about the possibility of using chemicals that are more effective than water for extinguishing fires.

“Is there a chemical that is more effective at smothering fire than water,” President Prabowo asked, monitored online in Jakarta on Monday.

National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo then mentioned a flour-based material that had previously been discovered and is said to help prevent and extinguish fires. The material uses cassava flour as its main raw ingredient.

Listyo said the material is made from cassava flour. According to him, it can be used to prevent fires and extinguish fires at an early stage.

President Prabowo was interested in the innovation and requested that the material be researched further and produced on a large scale.

Prabowo then asked for research and production of the material to be carried out immediately. He also requested a budget submission to support its development.

“The point is it can suppress fire. That is very interesting. The raw material is from cassava. Try producing it on a large scale,” he said.

He jokingly called the concept “ubi bombing”, an alternative to the water bombing method that has been used to extinguish forest and land fires from the air.

President Prabowo also asked for the effectiveness of the flour-based material to be tested, including the possibility of using it in large quantities via helicopters or aircraft to reach burning areas.

According to him, various technological alternatives and innovations need to be developed to strengthen forest and land fire handling. He stressed the importance of mobilising all efforts to deal with forest fires that have a broad impact on the public.

Previously, the government has continued to deploy water bombing helicopters to extinguish forest and land fires in South Sumatra. The President also asked all ranks to evaluate needs on the ground and immediately submit requests for additional assistance if necessary.