Puan urges government to prepare strategic measures for forest fire control
The Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Puan Maharani, has requested that the government prepare strategic measures to control the impacts of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Riau, following projections of a drier dry season in 2026.
“Ensure that protection for citizens from the impacts of forest fires is always ready, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, pregnant/breastfeeding women, citizens with comorbidities, and persons with disabilities,” she stated in Jakarta on Friday.
She encouraged the government to establish clean air protection posts at residential areas, schools, and community health centres (posyandu) equipped with adequate particulate filtration, rather than merely providing general evacuation spaces. She reminded that the potential increase in forest fires poses a threat to public health and safety, which must be addressed through comprehensive mitigation, including healthcare services.
The government has been asked to ensure that healthcare costs resulting from forest fires do not fall upon individual households. According to Puan, health issues experienced by citizens due to forest fires should be covered by BPJS Kesehatan (the national health insurance scheme).
She further advised that healthcare facilities in every affected region must be maximised. “Stocks of inhalation medicines must always be ready, portable oxygen must be available in community health centres (puskesames) and mobile clinics, and SNI-standard masks must be distributed, prioritising toddlers, pregnant women, and the elderly,” Puan said.
“Prepare air transport modes for medical evacuations in remote locations when ground visibility does not meet requirements, and increase firefighting infrastructure, particularly water bombing fleets,” she added.
Puan further requested that each region provide rapid reporting channels for citizens regarding needs for oxygen, medicine, or medical evacuation, connected to local health offices and the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).
“Any delay in the distribution of basic services such as standard masks, medicine, and clean water must be immediately followed up with clear deadlines for improvement. Forest fires are a crisis that tests coordination, therefore synergy from all relevant stakeholders is required,” she said.
These statements were made in response to data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNNP) showing that the total area of forest and land fires in Riau Province between 1 January and 1 June 2026 reached 15,031.58 hectares. Meanwhile, the Riau Regional Disaster Management Agency and Fire Department (BPBD Damkar) stated on Monday (1/6) that 11 areas in the province have declared a forest fire emergency alert status as an anticipatory measure for the upcoming dry season.