RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Manggala Agni team from the Forest Fire Control Center of Sumatra Region continuously struggles to extinguish forest and land fires (Karhutla) at several points in Riau Province and the Riau Islands. Although they are currently carrying out fasting under the scorching weather, the personnel in the field remain vigilant in preventing the spread of fire to protect the ecosystem.

An additional challenge has arisen in Pulau Muda Village, Teluk Meranti Sub-district, Pelalawan Regency, where officers must increase vigilance due to the sighting of a Sumatran Tiger near the firefighting location. The appearance of the animal is not directly related to the fire incident.

Based on observations, this young tiger has indeed been roaming around residential and plantation areas for the past three months. This is suspected to be because the animal has just been weaned by its mother and is in the phase of learning to independently search for a new territory. Nevertheless, the presence of this animal remains a top priority to ensure the safety of the firefighting team in the field.

The Head of the Sumatra Dalkarhut Regional Office, Ferdian, emphasized that adherence to work safety SOPs is non-negotiable for all Manggala Agni members in the field. In addition, intensive mitigation and coordination measures continue to be strengthened to ensure that firefighting activities run smoothly without neglecting wildlife conservation procedures.

"For the safety of the wildlife and the officers, we have coordinated with the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) and the BBKSDA Riau officers have been dispatched to handle the Sumatran Tiger," Ferdian said in his statement, Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

Until now, integrated extinguishing efforts are still ongoing in several areas such as Kampar Regency, Bengkalis, Indragiri Hilir, Pelalawan, and Batam City. Based on satellite imagery analysis by the Ministry of Forestry for the period of January-February 2026, the extent of forest and land fires in Riau reached 4,400 hectares, with 94 percent located on peatland. The main focus currently is on Pelalawan and Bengkalis Regencies, which have the largest burned areas.

Facing the potential El Nino predicted to advance in the second semester of 2026, Manggala Agni continues to strengthen coordination with various parties. Considering that the peak of the dry season is predicted to occur in July and August with below-normal rainfall conditions, early preventive measures are crucial to anticipate the risk of more extreme drought in the Sumatra region.