How Indonesia Fares with Wildfire Control as Dry Season Looms

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Ministry of Environment stresses its commitment to advance nationwide wildfire control during this year's dry season, especially in South Sumatra as one of the most high-risk regions.

Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat shares several measures undertaken by the government to manage wildfire in the country. These include cross-sector coordination, increased supervision against relevant corporations, reservoir construction, and weather modification operations to reduce early blaze potential.

"We are striving to strengthen mitigative efforts to ensure more effective wildfire control with minimal blaze impact," he says in a written statement on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago calls for national synergy across all aspects of wildfire control, including mitigation, prevention, handling, law enforcement, recovery, and public communication.

A similar sentiment is shared by Indonesia's Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, who emphasizes the importance of inter-ministerial and agency coordination as well as public participation in wildfire control, which already shows a declining trend over the years.

"We are witnessing a steady decline in the number of wildfires from year to year, including during the El Niño period," the minister says in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The minister adds that wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts cannot be burdened solely on a single institution and are instead a shared responsibility.

Public participation, such as the Masyarakat Peduli Api (MPA, or Fire Aware Community), is also a crucial factor in early preventive measures against wildfires. Such communities are helpful for early identification of fire, alongside the use of technology.

The ministry also assures stronger law enforcement efforts against wildfire instigators.

The Ministry of Forestry, through the Directorate of Wildfire Control, has also implemented various strategic measures, including strengthening integrated patrols, optimizing hotspot-monitoring technology, and human resources capacity.

"Wildfire control efforts must be carried out in an integrated manner from the central government to the regional levels, involving the community. Education and community empowerment are crucial factors in reducing the number of wildfire incidents," he says.

According to government data, the national wildfire coverage in 2024 reached 376,805.05 hectares and down to 359,619.40 hectares in 2025.

In South Sumatra, the burning areas dropped from 15,422.48 hectares in 2024 to 5,939.79 hectares in 2025. Meanwhile, during the first four months of 2026, approximately 79.95 hectares of land were caught in blazes.

Despite the declining trend of wildfires, the Indonesian government calls for public vigilance, especially in the face of the dry season predicted by the BMKG to last longer, with the peak of drought in South Sumatra expected in August 2026.

The ministry invites all stakeholders, including local governments, businesses, and the community, to actively participate in wildfire prevention to preserve environmental quality and public health.

Antara contributed to the writing of this article.

Read: Super El Nino Expected to Form in Later Half of 2026, Researcher Says

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