..fire-control efforts should also be supported by academic studies that consider spatial and temporal factors, including regional conditions and changes over time.
Palembang, South Sumatra (ANTARA) – National Police Security Maintenance Agency (Baharkam) Head Commissioner General Herry Heryawan has urged villages in South Sumatra to strengthen mutual cooperation as part of efforts to prevent forest and land fires.
“Prevention must start early and involve the community. Public understanding of environmental protection is one of the keys to preventing forest and land fires,” Heryawan said on Sunday after accompanying Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat to inspect a fire site in Ogan Komering Ilir District, South Sumatra.
He said fire management required a more comprehensive approach that prioritized prevention, education, and active community involvement at the village level.
According to Heryawan, fire-control efforts should also be supported by academic studies that consider spatial and temporal factors, including regional conditions and changes over time.
He added that understanding of peatland ecosystem characteristics needed to be strengthened, including peat depth, ecosystem conditions, and land cover in fire-prone areas. Such an approach, he said, would help authorities tailor prevention measures to the characteristics of each region.
Heryawan stressed that forest and land fires were not solely the responsibility of the Indonesian government or security forces, but a shared concern requiring the involvement of all elements of Indonesian society.
He said cooperation at the grassroots level, particularly among village administrations, communities, and other relevant stakeholders, needed to be strengthened to ensure sustainable prevention efforts.
Heryawan expressed hope that active participation from all parties would build collective awareness of environmental protection and help communities anticipate potential fires before they spread.
He said strengthening mutual cooperation in villages was an important part of establishing a prevention system that prioritized preparedness and environmental protection from the outset.
Synergy among the government, security authorities, academics, and the public is expected to reduce fire risks and help preserve South Sumatra’s peatland ecosystems.
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Translator: Pramana, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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