Indonesia opens reporting portal for early detection of forest fires

indonesianupdates.com_admin

2 hours ago

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Forestry Ministry has launched an online reporting portal to boost public participation in the early detection and mitigation of forest and land fires.

“Every report received will become part of our early detection efforts and strengthen the government’s measures in preventing and mitigating forest fires,” the ministry’s Director of Forestry Complaint Prevention and Management Yazid Nurhuda stated in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Thursday.

Officials will verify and follow up on any public tips submitted through the portal at https://pengaduan.gakkum.kehutanan.go.id regarding alleged arson, illegal land clearing, or activities that could spark fires.

Nurhuda urged the public to promptly report any signs of burning, noting that community participation is vital for authorities to intervene before blazes spread and inflict broader damage.

Mitigating these fires, he added, is not merely about preserving forests, but also about protecting the public from hazardous smog, health complications, and fire-induced disaster risks.

The ministry remains committed to bolstering its fire control efforts by enhancing prevention strategies, upgrading personnel capacity, and securing vulnerable areas.

However, Nurhuda stressed that these initiatives require collective and on-the-ground support from local governments, the military, police forces, disaster mitigation agencies, the business sector, and community volunteers.

The launch of the portal comes as forest and land fires continue to spread across South Kalimantan. Recent data from the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) recorded 1,927 fire incidents affecting roughly 9,167 hectares of land, with 11,179 hotspots detected across the province.