Riau Bhayangkara Run 2026 Promotes Forest Fire Prevention Movement, Attracts 15,080 Runners
PEKANBARU — Efforts to campaign for the prevention of forest and land fires (karhutla) are being carried out in various ways, one of them through sport. A total of 15,080 runners from home and abroad took part in the Riau Bhayangkara Run 2026 in Pekanbaru on Sunday (19/7/2026), carrying the theme ‘Run with Purpose, Move Forward with Riau’ while championing the Riau Lawan Karhutla movement.
The event, part of the commemorations of the 80th Bhayangkara Day, drew runners from various regions of Indonesia as well as a number of countries, including France, Kenya, Malaysia and Singapore.
Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan, together with Acting Governor of Riau SF Hariyanto, Commander of the XIX/Tuanku Tambusai Military Region Major General Agus Hadi Waluyo, and Head of the Riau High Prosecutor’s Office I Dewa Gede Wirajana, flagged off the participants in front of the Riau Provincial Police Headquarters.
The flag-offs were staged in phases, beginning at 05:30 Western Indonesia Time for the Half Marathon (21 kilometres) category, followed by the 10-kilometre and 5-kilometre categories at 06:00.
According to the organisers’ data, 2,511 participants took part in the 21-kilometre category, 5,000 in the 10-kilometre category, and 7,569 in the 5-kilometre category, bringing the total number of participants to 15,080.
Beyond being a sporting event, the activity also served as a medium for environmental education. Each participant received a Nona Seroja baby elephant soft toy as a symbol of wildlife conservation in Riau, as well as trembesi tree seedlings to be planted as part of the greening movement and karhutla prevention efforts.
Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan said the Riau Bhayangkara Run 2026 aimed not only to promote a healthy lifestyle but also to encourage the public to deepen their care for environmental sustainability. “Through the theme of Riau Lawan Karhutla, let us together protect the elephants, protect the tigers and protect the environment so that it remains preserved,” Herry said.
He called on all participants to use the event as a momentum to build a positive spirit and strengthen togetherness. “Today we gather to become better. Let us put aside all negative thoughts and move together to build positive energy. Thank you to all the runners who came and became part of this movement,” he said.
According to Herry, the cool air in Pekanbaru following rain the previous night served as an important reminder of the need to maintain the balance of nature.
“If we look after nature, nature will look after us. The rain that fell last night made this morning’s air cool. That is a reminder that humans and nature must live side by side,” he said.
Acting Governor of Riau SF Hariyanto praised the staging of the Riau Bhayangkara Run 2026, saying it succeeded in combining sport with a campaign to save the environment.
According to him, the Riau Lawan Karhutla movement is a reminder that preventing forest and land fires requires the involvement of all elements of society. “Through this event we convey the message that we are fighting forest and land fires together, to keep Riau green,” SF Hariyanto said.
In addition to the running competition, the event was enlivened by a micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) bazaar, entertainment, and performances by national musicians.
The staging of the Riau Bhayangkara Run 2026 is expected not only to strengthen Riau’s position as a sports tourism destination, but also to raise public awareness that sport can be a means of building care for forest conservation, wildlife protection, and efforts to prevent forest and land fires.