Forestry Minister Strengthens Prevention Measures Amid Forest Fire Surge

Jakarta: In light of the recent surge in forest fires, the Ministry of Forestry will strengthen early prevention measures and improve on-the-ground response systems.  
 
“We are looking to take concrete steps to better control and prevent forest fires. Ideally, we want to achieve zero forest fires, but at the very least, we must reduce them as much as possible,” Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said during a meeting in Jakarta, as reported by Antara on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
 
The ministry is currently evaluating its fire prevention and response measures, including the readiness of Weather Modification Operations (OMC), intensive monitoring of groundwater levels in fire-prone areas, and assessments of personnel capacity and firefighting equipment.
 
Raja Juli also called for long-term regulatory reforms to establish a robust and sustainable forest fire mitigation system.
 
“What I want is structural improvement. We need to identify the regulations that require change and what steps we need to take to establish a long-term, sustainable framework,” he said.
 
(Jonathan Sianto)