Indonesian govt urged to review land-burning rules to curb fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A forestry law expert has called for reviewing Indonesia’s land-burning rules and enforcing the law objectively, saying fire prevention must account for ignition sources and the responsibilities of those involved.

Speaking in Jakarta on Sunday (Oct.18), Sadino said the review should cover regulations, supervision and community support to improve prevention efforts by Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Sadino said supervision remained challenging because forests were still accessible, urging authorities to balance land-burning prohibitions with local communities’ livelihood needs.

“Local governments, districts, villages and businesses must provide economic support and alternative land-clearing methods that do not involve burning, so communities no longer rely on fires,” he said.

He also stressed the need for continuous education about fire hazards, including outreach to residents who have not joined Fire Awareness Community (MPA) groups.

Prevention must begin before fires break out, he warned, as blazes fueled by strong winds become increasingly difficult to control once they spread.

Investigations must be based on facts to establish where fires started, including whether flames spread from areas outside the sites where they were detected, he said.

Reinforcing ban

Meanwhile, Erwansyah, an executive at the Association of Indonesian Forest Concessionaires (APHI), said the group supported government directives reinforcing the ban on land burning.

He said companies holding Business Licensing for Forest Utilization (PBPH) permits must comply with forest governance regulations, including requirements to prevent and control fires.

Companies have allocated resources for fire management by providing infrastructure, deploying firefighting teams, monitoring hotspots, conducting patrols and partnering with local communities, he added.

Erwansyah noted that forestry companies could also become victims of fires originating outside their concession areas.

Fires spreading into concession areas can cause substantial economic losses, environmental damage and major disruptions to sustainable forest management operations.

“Companies can be victims of fires originating outside their concessions, so investigations must objectively establish the causes and origins while assessing prevention efforts,” Erwansyah said.

He said a fire inside a concession did not automatically establish corporate liability, which depends on whether the company fulfilled its legal obligations to prevent and control fires.

Companies also supported firefighting beyond their concessions by providing personnel, equipment and logistical assistance and coordinating with government agencies and communities, he said.

Such corporate involvement should be recognized as a shared effort when authorities proportionally assess companies’ responsibilities, he added.

Erwansyah also called for stronger fire management institutions to improve coordination and command in prevention and firefighting operations.

“Institutional strengthening requires follow-up regulations to make command and implementation significantly more effective,” he said.

Fire control units operate within forest management units, plantation companies and local governments, Erwansyah said, but command relationships between the units need clearer definition.

He expressed hope that stronger regulations, institutions and coordination among stakeholders would improve fire control while providing legal certainty for those operating in the forestry sector.

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Translator: Subagyo, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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