Minister of the Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, urged palm oil plantation companies to proactively address the potential for forest and land fires (Karhutla). This proactive approach is essential as we enter the dry season, especially in peatlands and plantations.
Hanif made this statement during a coordination meeting with the Indonesian Palm Oil Entrepreneurs Association (GAPKI) in Pekanbaru, Riau, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. Riau is particularly susceptible to forest and land fires.
“If companies can implement an effective fire management system, we have a strong hope of achieving the zero fire target in plantation areas,” he emphasized during the meeting, as quoted in the official statement.
According to data from the Ministry of Environment, there were 184 hotspots detected across Indonesia as of May 9. This represents a 61 percent decrease compared to 2024. Nonetheless, forest fires continue to pose a significant threat in regions such as Aceh, North Sumatra, and Riau.
“This number of hotspots serves as a concrete indicator of increasing fire vulnerability. Even though we have seen a decrease, we must not be complacent,” Hanif warned.
He pointed out that climate change and extreme weather patterns are contributing to prolonged droughts, which are a major factor in the rise of forest fires. Hanif urged GAPKI and all its member companies to take action, stressing that plantation management entities play a crucial role in combating forest and land fires.
During his visit to Riau, Hanif toured the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (TKTD) at PT Kimia Tirta Utama (KTU), a subsidiary of Astra Agro in Siak Regency. He also participated in a ceremony for planting endemic trees and visited the High Conservation Value (HCV) area managed by PT KTU, where numerous endemic and endangered species are preserved.
To address the threat of forest and land fires, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is conducting a series of weather modification operations from May 1-7, with an extension until May 12, 2025. These efforts focus on peatlands that are particularly vulnerable during prolonged droughts, as well as on filling water reservoirs.
“Given the potential for releasing rain clouds, we aim to maximize our wetting efforts,” stated Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB Center for Data, Information, and Disaster Communication, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
Source: Tempo.co
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