Prabowo Targets Forest and Land Fire Handling to Be Completed in Two Weeks: We Are a Strong Nation!
President Prabowo Subianto has affirmed that the government continues to deploy maximum force to handle forest and land fires (karhutla) in several regions of Indonesia.
The handling is being carried out by involving various elements and equipment to ensure the disaster can be brought under control soon.
The effort includes the use of dozens of helicopters, more than a dozen aircraft, hundreds of drilled wells, hundreds of water pumps, and thousands of personnel.
Prabowo has set a target for the handling of forest and land fires in several regions of Indonesia to be completed within two weeks.
“We have deployed a very large force. We have shown that our nation is strong,” Prabowo said during his remarks at the groundbreaking of the 100 Gigawatt peak (GWp) Solar Power Plant (PLTS) programme in Gilimanuk, Jembrana Regency, Bali, on Tuesday, 25 August 2026.
“Now I think it has begun to be resolved, mitigated in several places. I hope that within one or two weeks everything can be completed,” he continued.
According to Prabowo, the scale of the force deployed is a form of the state’s seriousness in facing forest and land fires while ensuring that the public does not face the disaster alone. He also expressed appreciation and pride for the personnel working in the field.
“I am proud of the achievements of our personnel in the field. I convey this on this occasion because, although we face trials, although we face obstacles and hindrances, we are strong, we are capable, and we continue to prove it,” he said.
Prabowo then cited the handling of the disaster in Aceh, which was completed in a relatively short time, even beyond the expectations of many parties. Meanwhile, in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), the government is also striving to provide a very rapid and massive response to the earthquake.
“In Aceh, we completed it in a time that many parties would not have thought possible. In NTT, our reaction was very fast, very massive. Everywhere, our state is present,” he said.
Prabowo stressed that the state’s presence in disaster handling is part of his responsibility as head of state. As president, he stated that he holds the people’s mandate and is tasked with gathering all the nation’s strength to face various challenges.
Prabowo added that the nation’s strength essentially comes from the ability to manage all the country’s assets and wealth optimally. This management, he said, must be carried out with the principles of honesty, patriotism, love for the homeland and the people, and a great sense of responsibility.