Indonesia Steps Up Wildfire Control to Protect Public Health

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is strengthening measures to protect the public from wildfires, particularly smoke exposure, which can harm health and disrupt daily activities.

These measures are being implemented alongside intensified wildfire control operations in several high-risk areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan. A total of 12,880 joint personnel have been deployed to accelerate fire suppression, prevent the spread of fires, and reduce smoke's impact on the public.

Smoke movement and air quality are being monitored regularly through interagency coordination. The government is also updating information on the air quality index.

“This includes flight visibility, health service preparedness, and potential adjustments to educational activities,” said Head of the Public Relations and Foreign Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Forestry, Ristianto Pribadi, in a statement on Sunday, August 23, 2026.

Vulnerable groups are a primary focus of these protective measures. Children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with respiratory issues are advised to limit outdoor activities.

The public is also urged to wear masks, increase water intake, and follow official information from relevant authorities regarding air quality conditions in their respective areas.

In terms of firefighting efforts, the government has deployed personnel from the Forest Fire Control Brigade (Manggala Agni), the Indonesian Military, the National Police, and the National and Regional Disaster Mitigation Agencies. Local administrations, the Fire Awareness Community, business operators, and volunteers are also assisting.

“Operations are carried out through patrols, fire suppression, cooling, the creation of firebreaks, and post-fire site monitoring. Ground operations are reinforced with aerial support through patrols and fire suppression using water-bombing aircraft,” Ristianto said.

The government is also conducting targeted Weather Modification Operations based on cloud availability and analysis from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). The government emphasizes that prevention remains key to reducing wildfire risks.

The public and business operators are strictly prohibited from clearing land by burning. Monitoring of wildfire indicators is conducted through the Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi system, which uses satellite imagery from NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites.

The government stresses that hotspots are early indicators of surface temperature anomalies and do not automatically indicate active fires. Authorities will follow up every hotspot indication with ground verification.

Six provinces are prioritized for monitoring: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. The government ensures that wildfire control focuses not only on fire suppression but also on protecting public health. (Gusti Panji)