Indonesia Intensifies Forest Fire Cooling in South Sumatra

RRI.CO.ID, Palembang - Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry is intensifying forest and land fire response in South Sumatra. The effort includes additional firefighters and extra cooling, or mopping up, on Sunday, August 23, 2026.

The Ministry deployed 299 Manggala Agni personnel across several fire-prone areas in South Sumatra. Manggala Agni is Indonesia’s specialized forest and land firefighting unit under the Ministry of Forestry.

The deployment includes 254 local personnel and 45 operational support personnel under the Bantuan Kendali Operasi (BKO) scheme. The additional personnel came from fire operations units in Sarolangun, Muara Tebo, and Jambi City.

Head of the Sumatra Forest Fire Control Center, Ferdian Krisnanto, said ground firefighting remains the main defense against fires. He said extra cooling is crucial because surface fires may continue burning underground in peatlands.

“Ground firefighting remains the main defense. In peatland areas, extinguishing surface fires does not necessarily mean the fire is completely out, so Manggala Agni teams continue extra cooling (mopping up) to ensure underground embers are completely extinguished,” Ferdian said.

The mopping up operations are focused on several fire hotspots across South Sumatra. These include Pangkalan Lampam, Tanjung Lubuk, and Tulung Selapan in Ogan Komering Ilir, as well as Indralaya and Indralaya Utara.

Operations also cover Sungai Rotan and Gelumbang in Muara Enim, supported by aerial patrols and water bombing. Indonesia’s Weather Modification Operation is also being conducted over targeted areas to support firefighting efforts.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry is conducting law enforcement alongside firefighting operations. The Sumatra Forestry Law Enforcement Center is investigating a fire covering approximately 25 hectares within a production forest area in Musi Banyuasin.

Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said permit holders must remain responsible for protecting their operational areas. He stressed that violations involving negligence, deliberate burning, or inadequate prevention measures would face firm enforcement.