Indonesia boosts fire response as El Nino raises risks

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said support from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is strengthening efforts to tackle forest and land fires amid an El Nino weather pattern.

“Forest and land fires are a serious problem requiring collaborative, integrated, measurable, and sustainable action,” Raja Antoni said in Jakarta on Wednesday, thanking BNPB for its field support.

BNPB has provided support through ground and aerial operations, including weather modification and water-bombing missions, the minister said.

The Forestry Ministry and BNPB have conducted weather modification operations to mitigate fire risks. From February through July 2026, operations continued in several fire-prone provinces with private-sector partners.

For fire mitigation, 17 operations were conducted over 169 days, involving 291 flight sorties.

“Cooperation with BNPB is vital because tackling forest fires requires rapid responses, both prevention and suppression,” Raja Antoni said, adding that weather modification helps reduce risks and impacts.

BNPB has also deployed 40 aircraft, including 10 patrol planes, 27 water-bombing helicopters, and three weather-modification aircraft, the ministry said.

In six priority provinces, BNPB deployed 36 aircraft, comprising 12 patrol aircraft, 21 water-bombing helicopters, and three weather-modification planes.

BNPB support was also evident in fighting fires at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS), the ministry said.

An integrated team involving Manggala Agni, TNBTS officials, regional disaster agencies, BNPB, residents, military, and police used two BNPB water-bombing helicopters to reach difficult slopes.

The fire, which burned from Aug. 3 to Aug. 16, was eventually extinguished through cooperation among the government agencies involved.

“Such collaboration will continue to be strengthened so every forest-fire threat can be addressed quickly and its impact on the environment and communities reduced,” Raja Antoni said.