RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The government is strengthening national preparedness in facing the potential disaster of forest and land fires. These efforts were carried out thru the 2026 South Sumatra Province Forest and Land Fire Mitigation Readiness Rally held in Palembang on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, retired TNI General Djamari Chaniago, stated that the government has reactivated the Forest Fire Mitigation Desk to strengthen cross-sector coordination.

According to him, thru this desk, ministries/agencies, local governments, and all stakeholders are expected to become more integrated in efforts for mitigation, prevention, handling, law enforcement, recovery, and public communication related to forest and land fires.

"The reactivation of this desk is mandated by Presidential Instruction Number 3 of 2020 on Forest and Land Fire Management, specifically to strengthen coordination, synchronization of control, monitoring, and evaluation of national forest and land fire control policies," Djamari said.

Djamari also conveyed President Prabowo Subianto's directive to all regional heads to maintain and improve the achievements in handling forest and land fires that have been progressing well.

"The government must not be complacent. All components of the nation must strengthen preparedness, enhance mitigation, and build solid cooperation so that forest and land fires can be reduced to a minimal level," he conveyed.

Meanwhile, Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni said the government has learned a lot from handling forest fires in previous years. According to him, the area affected by forest fires continues to decrease, even during the four-year El Nino cycle.

"In 2015, forest fires reached 2.6 million hectares, then decreased to 1.6 million hectares in 2019, and further decreased to 1.1 million hectares in 2023." In 2025, it was also successfully reduced from 376,805.05 hectares in 2024 to 359,619.42 hectares," Raja Juli stated.

The Ministry of Forestry, thru the Directorate of Forest Fire Control, continues to take various strategic steps, ranging from strengthening integrated patrols, optimizing hotspot monitoring technology, to enhancing the capacity of human resources in the field.