Rajiv Urges Ministry of Forestry to Strengthen Coordination in Preventing Forest and Land Fires from the Outset

Member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Rajiv, has urged the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) to strengthen coordination with local governments that have potential for forest and land fires (karhutla), especially ahead of the long dry season predicted for 2026. He assessed that preparedness measures such as alert roll calls and karhutla jamborees, which have been held so far, need to be elevated, not just limited to ceremonial activities, but also followed by real actions in the field. “Coordination with vulnerable regions must continue to be strengthened. There are already roll calls and jamborees now, but they must be further enhanced with real preparedness in the field,” said Rajiv in his statement in Jakarta on Tuesday (31/3). Rajiv revealed that several regions are beginning to show signs of increasing hotspots. One of them is Riau Province, where hotspots have been detected in several districts in recent weeks. Based on data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Riau was recorded as the region with the highest number of hotspots on Sumatra Island throughout the period from 1 January to 25 March 2026, namely 302 hotspots out of a total of 582 hotspots on Sumatra. Meanwhile, data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) recorded the area of forest and land fires in Riau reaching 2,713.26 hectares from 1 January to 24 March 2026. “Like in Riau, hotspots are already starting to appear. This must serve as an early warning, especially as we will face a dry season that is estimated to last longer,” said this NasDem Party Faction DPR member. In addition, the BMKG previously predicted that the 2026 dry season would arrive gradually from April to June, with the potential for drier conditions in several regions, particularly central and southern Sumatra, Kalimantan, and parts of Sulawesi. “This is a very dangerous combination. The dry season is coming faster, drier, and longer. BMKG data must serve as a serious alarm for all of us. We must not be caught off guard like in previous years,” stated the legislator from the West Java II electoral district. Besides weather factors, Rajiv assessed that land opening activities using burning methods remain the main contributor to karhutla in Indonesia. Every time the dry season arrives, he said, the number of hotspots tends to increase significantly, with the largest concentration in Sumatra and Kalimantan regions. Therefore, he said, steps that need to be strengthened include optimising early hotspot detection, increasing integrated patrols in vulnerable areas, early preparedness of firefighting facilities, and sustainable peatland management. “If fire points can be known from the start, handling them is much easier and the costs incurred are not as great as when the fire has already spread. If not anticipated early, this situation has the potential to trigger large-scale fires that are difficult to control,” he said. In addition to prevention aspects, Rajiv also emphasised the importance of close cooperation between the government and law enforcement agencies (APH), both the National Police (Polri) and the Attorney General’s Office, in handling karhutla cases, especially those caused by intentional elements. According to him, law enforcement against karhutla perpetrators must be upheld without favouritism to create a deterrent effect so that such cases do not recur every year. “Cooperation with law enforcement agencies must be strengthened, especially for intentional burning cases. Law enforcement must be firm and there should be no compromise. If law enforcement is weak, violations will continue to occur. This must be a serious concern,” he asserted. Moreover, Rajiv also emphasised the importance of education for communities in vulnerable areas so that they do not open land by burning. According to him, a persuasive approach must go hand in hand with law enforcement. “The community must be given understanding and safer, more environmentally friendly alternative solutions. A more persuasive approach is needed, not just law enforcement,” he stated. He continued that the impacts of karhutla do not recognise administrative boundaries, where the smoke can spread to various areas even to neighbouring countries, thus potentially causing cross-border issues. According to him, karhutla is not just a local issue, but also regional. Therefore, stakeholders must have a joint commitment to prevent it. “So the government must strengthen regional cooperation in anticipating and handling karhutla, including sharing technology and information related to fire mitigation,” he concluded.