Berau, E Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni reviewed wildfire response in Berau District, East Kalimantan, on Wednesday and checked efforts to protect orangutan habitat.
“I want to hear reports directly from the field—what happened, what we have done, and what we will do to prevent larger wildfires,” Raja said during a coordination meeting at Kalimarau Airport.
He said the government was ensuring an integrated response to wildfires while preventing fires from spreading and threatening protected wildlife, particularly orangutans.
The government has conducted weather modification operations in fire-prone provinces in cooperation with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Indonesian Air Force, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and local governments.
The operations cover Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and East Kalimantan.
“In East Kalimantan, particularly Berau, there are still rain clouds developing. Year after year, the most effective way to extinguish wildfires is through rain, whether natural or weather-modified,” Raja said.
He said this year’s dry season was a concern because of a relatively strong El Nino phenomenon.
Raja called for stronger coordination among ministries, agencies, local governments, the Indonesian Military, and National Police, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directives.
East Kalimantan Provincial Secretary Sri Wahyuni said the provincial government was strengthening field-level coordination for wildfire response.
She said Production Forest Management Units (KPHP) had received operational firefighting support through the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) Annual Work Plan.
All KPHP units in East Kalimantan also have firefighting teams supported by the Reforestation Fund Revenue-Sharing Fund, while Manggala Agni (forest firefighting brigade) personnel continue to receive outreach, training, and additional equipment.
“We will continue to oversee the implementation of FCPF funding to support wildfire response,” Sri said.
Raja also inspected the Long Sam Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Kelay sub-district and handed over a decree establishing a working group for orangutan rescue in the Keraitan Landscape.
He also provided support for orangutan conservation in East Kalimantan and handed over a social forestry decree to community groups.
The conservation measures cover about 87,000 hectares of preservation areas expected to become an important part of orangutan conservation in East Kalimantan.
The area will be jointly managed with Conservation Action Network (CAN) and local environmental activists to help protect forests in East Kalimantan.
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Translator: Arumanto, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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