Forest Fires Surge, Dominating Indonesian Disasters

Land blazes account for 60% of incidents as dry season peaks

Forest and land fires (karhutla) have become the dominant disaster threat across Indonesia, representing approximately 60% of all recorded incidents between July 27 and August 3, 2025. This marks a significant shift from previous months where hydrometeorological events like floods held sway.

Provinces on High Alert

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) highlighted Riau and West Kalimantan as provinces experiencing the highest number of forest and land fire incidents. The central government, led by President **Prabowo Subianto**, has convened emergency meetings with relevant ministries to expedite response and mitigation efforts.

The current focus for fire prevention and control spans eight provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh. These regions face heightened vulnerability due to the ongoing dry season, which began in mid-May and is expected to intensify through August and early September.

Peatlands Most Affected

Data from the Ministry of Forestry reveals that as of August 1, 2025, fires had consumed roughly 8,955 hectares of land nationwide. Critically, peatlands, which are particularly susceptible to prolonged burning and emit significant greenhouse gases, accounted for over 80.15% of this affected area.

West Kalimantan has seen the largest land area burned, with 1,149 hectares impacted. Riau followed with approximately 751 hectares scorched, while North Sumatra reported 309 hectares, West Sumatra 511 hectares, Central Kalimantan 146 hectares, and Jambi and South Sumatra each recording 43 hectares.

Multi-Agency Response Mobilized

The BNPB is intensifying collaboration with provincial governments, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Forestry, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), and the National Police. This coordinated effort aims to deploy ground and aerial task forces, alongside essential logistical support for firefighting operations.

For enhanced monitoring and rapid response, the BNPB has deployed two AS365N3 patrol helicopters and one Bell 206, accumulating a total of 251 hours and 54 minutes of flight time. Additionally, five Sikorsky Blackhawk UH60 water-bombing helicopters, three Mi-8 AMTs, and one Kamov are actively engaged in dousing flames.

Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, stressed the importance of a balanced approach. “Since April, we have carried out 241 hours and 40 minutes of water-bombing flight time. However, we cannot solely rely on extinguishing fires. Prevention through education and law enforcement is also crucial,” he stated during a virtual briefing.

The BNPB’s proactive measures align with broader government initiatives to combat the perennial threat of forest fires. For example, in 2024, Indonesia adopted a policy of zero tolerance for forest burning, reflecting a commitment to environmental protection and disaster risk reduction. (ANTARA News)

Aerial assets deployed in fire suppression efforts

The ongoing campaign underscores the government’s commitment to addressing the complex challenges posed by karhutla, aiming to safeguard both lives and valuable ecosystems across the archipelago.