Raja Juli: Heavy Machinery Can Be Deployed to National Parks During Forest Fires
The Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, has explained the regulations regarding the use of heavy machinery for handling forest and land fires (karhutla) within national park areas. He stated that heavy machinery is not permitted to enter conservation areas under normal conditions in order to preserve biodiversity.
However, he noted that there are exceptions during dangerous and emergency situations, particularly during forest fires. Raja Juli stated that such exceptions are possible through a Presidential Instruction (Inpres) recently signed by President Prabowo Subianto.
“It is not like that. There is the Conservation Law, where heavy machinery is indeed not allowed in National Parks because we are protecting biodiversity,” Raja Juli said when met by reporters at the Senayan parliamentary complex on Wednesday (16/09/2026).
“We must ensure that under normal circumstances, no heavy machinery is used that could instead reduce the quality and the richness of our National Parks and conservation areas,” he added.
Raja Juli stated that the government now has the legal basis to introduce heavy machinery into national parks if forest fire conditions are deemed dangerous and require emergency handling. In addition to the Presidential Instruction, he has also issued a circular to all governors.
“Through the new Inpres signed by the President, and also through a circular I issued to all Governors, in dangerous and emergency situations—especially regarding forest fires—it is possible to bring heavy machinery into our National Parks, for instance, to create firebreaks,” he said.
Furthermore, he mentioned that heavy machinery can be used to create firebreaks to stop the spread of flames to other areas. These firebreaks are created by considering the direction of the fire’s spread and the level of emergency on the ground.
“For example, if the fire is burning on the right and moving towards the left, to avoid a greater emergency where the fire continues to spread, we can deploy heavy machinery in the middle to cut off the fire (firebreak). If a firebreak is established, it is expected that the head of the fire will stop there, allowing us to extinguish it so it does not spread elsewhere,” he explained.
Nevertheless, Raja Juli emphasised that the use of heavy machinery in national park areas will not be carried out indiscriminately. The decision to use heavy machinery must still consider field conditions, the level of emergency, and the potential disturbance to wildlife habitats.
“However, it must still be executed with the right decisions on the ground, measuring the level of emergency and determining where heavy machinery can be deployed so that, for instance, it does not disturb the habitats of orangutans or other wildlife. Because the ultimate goal is rescue during an emergency,” he concluded.