WNAM REPORT: The Indonesian government continues to implement forest and land fire control measures in fire disaster alert areas by monitoring hotspots and conducting early extinguishing efforts.
Thomas Nifinluri, Director of Forest and Land Fire Control at the Ministry of Forestry, affirmed that the government has undertaken several mitigation efforts.
These efforts include the early detection of hotspots based on field monitoring.
“Priority areas for forest and land fire control are determined based on the disaster alert status issued by the local government. So far, Riau and South Sumatra provinces have established disaster alert status,” Nifinluri remarked.
He explained that fire extinguishing efforts are also carried out if forest and land fire points are detected during land and aerial inspections.
In addition to these efforts, personnel wet peatlands to reduce the risk of forest and land fires. The government is also ramping up prevention efforts through the involvement of fire awareness communities, law enforcement, and the application of weather modification techniques.
The government will continue to coordinate and strengthen communication with stakeholders in regions prone to fires and hotspot areas.
Nifinluri encouraged local governments to remain vigilant and to fulfill the mandate outlined in Presidential Instruction Number 3 of 2020 concerning Forest and Land Fire Handling.
“The government has implemented several forest and land fire prevention activities, such as integrated patrols, independent patrols, weather modification, education, and campaigns in fire-prone provinces,” he stated.
The provinces of North Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and East Kalimantan are considered prone to forest and land fires.
