Tuesday, 27 October 2026
JAMBI | INDATANEWS.COM - The Jambi Regional Police are strengthening cross-sector cooperation to accelerate efforts to tackle forest and land fires, prosecute those responsible for deliberately starting fires, and restore the environment across Jambi Province. Measures include faster suppression of existing fires, increased patrols, consistent law enforcement and tree planting after fires have been successfully extinguished.
Jambi Police Chief Inspector General Widodo reaffirmed this commitment during a cross-sector coordination meeting on tackling forest and land fires and the use of government assistance provided by the central government. The meeting was chaired by Indonesia's Forestry Minister, Raja Juli Antoni, on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, in the VIP room at Sultan Thaha Airport in Jambi.The meeting was also attended by Jambi Governor Dr H Al Haris, Deputy Governor Drs H Abdullah Sani, Jambi Provincial Prosecutor's Office Chief Sugeng Hariadi, representatives of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), members of the Jambi Provincial Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), several regents and municipal leaders, and representatives of relevant agencies.
The coordination meeting highlighted that tackling forest and land fires must go beyond extinguishing flames. The government and emergency response teams must also prevent fires from recurring, ensure that assistance is used responsibly, pursue legal action against violations and restore areas affected by fires.The minister also called for more intensive ground patrols and reminded the public not to burn land. These preventive measures are essential to reducing the risk of further fire outbreaks, particularly in areas with soil conditions and vegetation that are especially vulnerable to fire.
Alongside strengthening firefighting operations, Raja Juli Antoni emphasised the importance of making comprehensive, transparent and accountable use of assistance provided by the Indonesian central government with the support of the President of the Republic of Indonesia. He urged all parties to ensure effective oversight and maintain sustained cooperation between agencies.The proper use of assistance is a key component of support for tackling forest and land fires. The regional government and relevant authorities must ensure that the resources provided meet the actual needs of emergency teams on the ground, from firefighting operations to preventive measures.
Cross-sector cooperation is also necessary to ensure that every participating institution fulfils its responsibilities within its respective remit. Effective coordination is expected to improve the organisation of field operations, particularly when teams need to reach fire hotspots in areas that are difficult to access.
Jambi Governor Al Haris said that fires remained active in the regencies of East Tanjung Jabung and Muaro Jambi. Peatlands pose one of the biggest challenges because emergency teams need specialised measures to reach the affected areas and extinguish the fires.
According to Al Haris, the regional government and the agencies involved are continuing firefighting operations both on the ground and from the air. They must also maintain their operational readiness to respond to the remaining fire hotspots.The governor reported that four fire sites were difficult to reach by land. To overcome this challenge, emergency teams are deploying helicopters to drop water over the affected areas using a technique known as water bombing.
Helicopter operations are an important option when terrain makes it difficult to reach fire sites by land. Aerial support helps teams tackle fires in locations where specialised intervention is required.Nevertheless, firefighting operations must be accompanied by patrols, measures to prevent illegal land clearing by burning, and continued monitoring of affected areas. This coordinated approach is essential to preventing fires from breaking out again after the initial firefighting operations have been completed.
The situation demonstrates that tackling forest and land fires is made more difficult not only by the size of the affected areas but also by the nature of the terrain and the accessibility of fire hotspots. Cooperation between the regional government, police, armed forces and relevant agencies is therefore a crucial factor in planning and carrying out operations on the ground.
At the meeting, Jambi Police Chief Widodo highlighted two important measures to be implemented during and after firefighting operations: involving regents in tree-planting programmes and strengthening coordination in investigations and the prosecution of arson cases.
The police chief urged regents to actively involve the respective heads of regency and municipal police forces (Kapolres) in tree-planting programmes once fires had been successfully extinguished. These programmes are intended to strengthen environmental protection efforts while helping restore areas damaged by fire.Tree planting forms part of ecological restoration and must be planned according to the specific conditions of the affected areas. Implementation also requires the involvement of regional governments and other stakeholders to ensure that restoration efforts are sustainable over the long term.
Alongside environmental restoration, the police chief called on the Jambi governor and the Forkopimda regional coordination forum to strengthen cooperation in investigations and law enforcement. He stressed that cases involving forest and land fires must be handled professionally, consistently and in accordance with applicable legislation.Law enforcement is an important part of the prevention strategy because the deliberate burning of forests and land can have far-reaching consequences for the environment and public safety. Proper handling of cases is also necessary to establish the legal responsibility of those involved on the basis of evidence and investigation findings.
Through this coordination, the Jambi Regional Police have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the regional government and relevant agencies in preventing further fires. The police have also called on the public to protect the environment and report activities that could trigger new forest and land fires through the burning of land.Jambi Regional Police Public Relations Division Head Police Commissioner Erlan Munaji said the police chief had emphasised the importance of cooperation among all stakeholders in tackling forest and land fires.
"The Jambi Police Chief emphasises that efforts to tackle forest and land fires must not focus solely on extinguishing flames, but must also include prevention, law enforcement and environmental restoration. Close cooperation between the police, regional government, armed forces, relevant agencies and the public is therefore essential to ensure that these measures are implemented in a coordinated and sustainable manner," Police Commissioner Erlan Munaji said.Erlan added that the Jambi Regional Police would continue to support efforts to tackle forest and land fires. This would include prosecuting individuals where evidence established their responsibility for burning forests and land. The police would also encourage public participation in protecting and preserving the environment.
This commitment brings firefighting, prevention, law enforcement and ecological restoration together in a comprehensive approach to tackling forest and land fires. Cooperation between the government, emergency response teams and the public is intended to improve the protection of affected areas while reducing the risk of further fires across Jambi Province. (IDNC)REPORTER: Dalil Harahap | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
