PT KTU and GAPKI Strengthen Joint Efforts with Government and Communities to Prevent Forest and Land Fires in Siak

Efforts to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla) in Siak Regency, Riau, are being strengthened through collaboration among the business sector, government, security forces, communities, and various stakeholders. PT Kimia Tirta Utama (KTU), together with the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) Riau Branch, held the 2026 Forest and Land Fire Preparedness Roll Call at the PT KTU field on Thursday (August 27, 2026).

Siak Deputy Regent Syamsurizal, who served as the Inspector of the Roll Call and delivered the Siak Police Chief’s mandate, expressed his appreciation for PT KTU and GAPKI Riau’s involvement in strengthening forest and land fire prevention efforts, including their concern for areas surrounding the company’s operational areas.

“On behalf of the government, I would like to express my gratitude for this extraordinary cooperation,” said Syamsurizal.

He said that Siak Regency remains on alert, and the regional government continues to increase its vigilance against potential forest and land fires.

According to him, preparedness is essential because once a hotspot is detected, all relevant parties must be able to respond quickly with available personnel and equipment, including heavy equipment if necessary.

“Astra has indeed done an outstanding job in protecting its plantations and surrounding areas. Once again, thank you and our appreciation to Astra,” said the Siak Deputy Regent, commending the initiative taken by PT KTU, a subsidiary of PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk.

He added that the involvement of businesses, together with the government, security forces, and communities, is an important strength in protecting Siak Regency from the threat of forest and land fires.

The Forest and Land Fire Preparedness Roll Call, initiated by PT KTU together with GAPKI Riau, was attended by representatives of the Siak Regency Government, Siak Police, Korem 031/Wira Bima, the Siak Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Manggala Agni, PT KTU’s community-based fire brigades (MPA), as well as the company’s management and staff.

Siak Police Chief AKBP Sepuh Ade Irsyam Siregar, who was unable to attend the event, entrusted his mandate to the Siak Deputy Regent, who served as the Roll Call Commander, accompanied by the Siak Police Operations Division Head, Ermanto.

Representing the Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI), Captain Inf. Danramil 04/Perawang attended the event. Ayub Edi Harahap, Head of Siak BPBD, Novendra Kasmara, Koto Gasib Subdistrict Head, Wendy, Kerinci Kanan Police Chief AKP Albert Sitompul, village heads, Bhabinkamtibmas, Babinsa, Manggala Agni, PT KTU’s community-based fire brigades (MPA), as well as PT KTU’s management and staff.

In his mandate, the Siak Police Chief emphasised that the preparedness roll call demonstrated the commitment of all stakeholders—including the TNI/Polri, regional government, communities, and companies—to preventing and managing forest and land fires.

“We must also strengthen coordination among government institutions, businesses, and communities so that our efforts to prevent forest and land fires can be carried out as effectively as possible,” said the Police Chief in his mandate, which was delivered by the Siak Deputy Regent.

The data presented in the mandate showed that forest and land fires had occurred in several areas of Siak Regency throughout August 2026. Fires covering approximately 7 hectares in Bunsur Village, around 0.5 hectares in Mengkapan Village, and approximately 6 hectares in Penyengat Village had been successfully extinguished. Meanwhile, firefighting efforts were still underway in Koto Gasib and Dayun subdistricts.

Therefore, the roll call was not merely a ceremonial event. Following the inspection of personnel and the reading of the preparedness pledge for forest and land fire prevention, the activity continued with inspections of facilities and infrastructure, as well as a firefighting simulation.

PT KTU Administrator Teddy Yohendra Siregar said preparedness must be established before a fire occurs. According to him, the company continues to ensure that its personnel, facilities and infrastructure, monitoring systems, and coordination with various parties are ready for use at any time.

“For us, preparedness is not only about how to extinguish a fire when it occurs. More importantly, it is about preventing fires from the outset, detecting them earlier, and ensuring that when there are indications of a fire, all parties can respond together. Therefore, we continue to strengthen our personnel, facilities and infrastructure, communities, and coordination with stakeholders,” said Teddy.

He explained that forest and land fire prevention efforts extend beyond the company’s operational areas. When there are indications of a fire outside the company’s operational area, the company also has a moral responsibility to provide assistance within its capacity and in response to the needs on the ground.

One of PT KTU’s ongoing efforts is leveraging technology to strengthen early detection. The company also monitors hotspots through the Riau Police’s Lancang Kuning Dashboard.

When a hotspot indication requires verification, PT KTU’s Fire Team immediately conducts field patrols to assess the actual conditions on site. This approach enables the team to respond more quickly if a fire is found.

This early detection approach forms part of the preparedness system developed by the company together with the community and stakeholders. At the site level, the presence of PT KTU’s community-based fire brigades (MPA) also plays an important role in monitoring and providing an initial response.

For the company, speed is essential because hotspots must not be allowed to develop into larger fires. Through data-driven monitoring, field patrols, and community communication, potential incidents can be identified earlier and followed up on quickly.

The use of technology in forest and land fire prevention is also aligned with the development of the Riau Police’s Green Policing initiative, which is increasingly directed toward a data-driven approach. The Riau Police has stated that the system is used to help identify environmental issues at an early stage, enabling interventions to be carried out more quickly.

Preparedness Established Before the Dry Season

PT KTU’s preparedness is not a newly introduced initiative. Various measures had been prepared by the company before entering the current alert period. These include ensuring the readiness of its Firefighting Team, inspecting and maintaining facilities and infrastructure, strengthening communication systems, conducting area patrols, monitoring hotspots, and strengthening community capacity through MPA as part of the company’s ongoing efforts.

PT KTU also builds collaboration with communities surrounding its operational areas. Joint patrols involving MPA, LPMD, and Bhabinkamtibmas are one of the measures taken to strengthen early detection and prevention at the site level.

This community-based approach is further strengthened through environmental programs such as the Climate Village Program (ProKlim) in Kuala Gasib Village. The program involves the village government, the Siak Regency Environmental Agency, MPA, and PT KTU’s Sustainability Team in promoting community-based climate change adaptation and mitigation actions.

These efforts are important because the risk of forest and land fires does not occur in isolation. Changes in weather conditions and the potential for a dry season can increase land vulnerability. Therefore, human resources, environmental governance, and community capacity to respond at an early stage must be developed simultaneously.

GAPKI Promotes Cross-Sector Collaboration

GAPKI Riau Branch Chairman Lichwan Hartono said collaboration is one of the key elements in addressing forest and land fires. According to him, the business sector plays a role in ensuring internal preparedness while also joining a collective effort with the government and communities.

“Forest and land fires cannot be addressed by one party alone. GAPKI continues to encourage member companies to strengthen prevention efforts, personnel and equipment readiness, while also building coordination with the government, TNI-Polri, BPBD, Manggala Agni, and communities. When all parties are prepared and operate under a single coordination framework, field responses will be faster and more effective,” said Lichwan.

He added that GAPKI Riau member companies continue to strengthen their prevention and preparedness systems in their respective areas while remaining open to supporting forest and land fire response efforts in surrounding areas when needed.

According to Lichwan, this spirit is aligned with the needs of forest and land fire management in Riau, which requires joint efforts ranging from prevention and early detection to firefighting and ensuring that fires do not recur.

Uniting Strengths at the Site Level

For PT KTU, the preparedness roll call served as an opportunity to strengthen the efforts and collaboration of all parties operating around the company’s operational areas.

The presence of PT KTU’s community-based fire brigades (MPA), Bhabinkamtibmas, Babinsa, Manggala Agni, BPBD, subdistrict government representatives and village heads, as well as company representatives in a single activity demonstrated that forest and land fire prevention requires complementary strengths from different parties.

The government provides regulatory authority and regional coordination. Security forces provide personnel and security support. Manggala Agni and BPBD provide technical disaster management capabilities. Communities possess knowledge of local conditions. Meanwhile, companies have personnel, facilities, and infrastructure that can be mobilised to strengthen response efforts.

“What we want to build is collective preparedness. We do not want to wait until a fire grows before taking action. If there is an indication, we want to be able to identify it immediately, conduct verification, and coordinate promptly. When a response is required, all available resources can move together,” said PT KTU Administrator Teddy.

This approach aligns with the direction for forest and land fire management developed by the Riau Police in 2026, which integrates prevention, response, law enforcement, and environmental restoration into a single framework. The Riau Police also emphasises the importance of involving the government, TNI-Polri, businesses, and communities in addressing the threat of forest and land fires.

Through strengthened facilities and infrastructure, technology-based monitoring, patrols and early detection, MPA empowerment, firefighting simulations, and collaboration with the government, TNI-Polri, BPBD, Manggala Agni, and communities, forest and land fire prevention efforts in Siak Regency continue to be strengthened.

This spirit forms part of a shared commitment to protecting the environment while ensuring that communities remain safe from the impacts of forest and land fires. In line with the spirit of “Synergy Between Earth and People for One Indonesia,” PT KTU, together with GAPKI Riau and all stakeholders, continues to strengthen collective efforts to prevent forest and land fires, protect the environment, and safeguard communities in Siak Regency.