Riau Police and Health Office Conduct Health Checks on Residents Affected by Pelalawan Forest Fire Haze
Handling forest and land fires in Riau is not solely focused on extinguishing hotspots, but also on the safety of residents. In Kerumutan District, Pelalawan, Riau Police deployed a medical team to examine the risk of respiratory problems among residents due to smoke exposure.
Health examinations were carried out simultaneously in collaboration with the Riau Provincial Health Office and the Pelalawan Regency Government in Kerumutan Village, Pelalawan, on Saturday (22/8/2026).
The examinations were conducted particularly on children who are potentially at risk of respiratory problems due to smoke exposure. Officers also distributed masks and carried out trauma healing for affected communities.
“We are conducting simultaneous checks in Kerumutan Village, especially to check how many of our younger siblings, our children, are affected by acute respiratory infections. Then we distribute masks, and we also carry out trauma healing,” said Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan.
He appreciated the steps taken by Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat, who for two days went directly to monitor the handling of forest and land fires in several areas of Riau together with the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Indonesian National Police and local governments.
The presence of the Environment Minister, the Riau Police Chief and forest fire experts in the field shows that fire handling is not only focused on extinguishing flames, but also ensuring that causes, ecological conditions, environmental impacts and public health are part of comprehensive handling.
This cross-sector synergy is expected to strengthen prevention efforts, accelerate fire handling and prevent forest and land fires from spreading again in Riau.
Forest and land fires in Kerumutan District, Pelalawan Regency, Riau have been ongoing for 23 days. Of the total 270 hectares of burned land, 81 hectares have been successfully extinguished.
Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan said that forest and land fires in Riau Province are generally still well under control thanks to good collaboration between the Indonesian National Police, the Indonesian National Armed Forces and the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum.
“Alhamdulillah, thanks to collaborative work from the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forestry and the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, we are present together to carry out extinguishing efforts and 81 hectares have been extinguished,” said Inspector General Herry Heryawan, Saturday (22/8/2026).
The Police Chief said that forest and land fires in Riau can be controlled, one of the reasons being massive law enforcement against perpetrators of forest burning, whether intentional or unintentional.
“Last year we had 102 suspects from 77 cases. Today, forest and land fires in Pelalawan remain only in Kerumutan,” he said.