The six priority provinces for forest and land fire mitigation are Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.
"The success was achieved through integrated efforts combining weather modification technology, the deployment of aircraft for patrols and aerial water spraying, and the work of ground task forces," BNPB Head Suharyanto remarked on Tuesday.
He ensured that each province had a command center staffed with expert representatives from the BNPB, BMKG, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), the Ministry of Forestry, and the regional heads to ensure a rapid response to hotspots.
"Once a fire is detected, we must immediately verify it through aerial patrols. A response measure will then be determined, whether to deploy a ground task force or initiate weather modification operations and conduct water bombing," he explained.
According to Suharyanto, this scheme has proven effective in reducing the scale of forest and land fires and has received full support from President Prabowo Subianto during a recent limited meeting with technical ministries.
He cited the example of Riau, which recorded only an additional 2.5 hectares of burned land in the past week, while 55 individuals suspected of land burning were arrested.
Furthermore, in West Kalimantan—previously the largest area affected by fires, at 1,149 hectares—no new hotspots were recorded over the past week.
In addition, his agency has requested additional personnel from the TNI and Polri to warn residents against clearing land by burning or starting fires near fire-prone peatlands.
The BNPB confirmed it will remain on full alert in all priority provinces and will adjust air force deployment based on the latest field conditions, as the risk of forest and land fires persists until the dry season ends, expected in late September.
"We aim to ensure conditions remain under control and that the impact on health, the environment, and the economy can be minimized," Suharyanto remarked.
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Translator: M. Riezko Bima, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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