Jambi fires ease as land rewetting efforts target Nov 2 deadline

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the forest and land fires situation in Jambi has eased compared with three weeks earlier, with preventative land rewetting efforts expected to be completed before November 2, 2026.

"Today, I returned to Jambi to check on several efforts. Thank God, the situation is much better than it was three weeks ago when I arrived here," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said monitoring with a high level of confidence found no hotspots in the Sipongi system. However, field inspections identified two locations that still require attention.

The minister noted that Jambi is expected to enter the rainy season soon. According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), relatively heavy rainfall is forecast through November 2.

The expected rainfall will be used to accelerate land rewetting efforts and further contain forest and land fires.

"The rainy season is coming soon in Jambi. The BMKG has forecast heavy rainfall until November 2," he said.

Antoni then expressed hope the period of rainfall could be fully utilized to rewet the land. In addition to natural rainfall, the efforts will be supported through weather modification operations (TMC) and ground-based wetting by personnel in the field.

"We will make the most of natural rainfall, enhance it through weather modification operations, and carry out additional wetting efforts by personnel on the ground," he said.

The minister added that after November 2, the government will intensify patrols to prevent new fires from breaking out.

These patrols will involve the military, the police, Manggala Agni firefighting teams, the Forestry Police, and the Regional Agency for Disaster Countermeasures (BPBD) until the heavier rainfall arrives.

"After November 2, we expect extensive patrols from authorities to ensure no new hotspots and new fires emerge," Antoni said.

He also urged the public to refrain from restarting forest and land fires, emphasizing that preventing new fires in Jambi required collective responsibility.

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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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