August 25, 2026 | 03:06 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Minister of Environment/Head of the Environmental Control Agency, Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, hopes that the extent of forest fires in South Kalimantan will not exceed that of the 2023 disaster. Referring to National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) data, the area of burned land in South Kalimantan three years ago reached 190,000 hectares.
On Monday, August 24, 2026, Jumhur announced that the area affected by the fire had been reduced to approximately 8,000 hectares. "This actually means that there has been successful mitigation before the disaster, and we will continue to try to address everything with all parties," said Minister Jumhur Hidayat to reporters while inspecting the handling of forest fires in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Monday, August 24, 2026.
He stated that an evaluation of mitigation progress accompanies the entire range of handling. Jumhur said his field inspections ensure effective coordination and handling to contain fire escalations, protect public health, and firmly enforce environmental laws.
"So I am present in several places, including now in South Kalimantan, at the President's orders to ensure that field coordination runs well," he said.
He emphasized that the top priority in the field is to completely extinguish all fire points. He mentioned that all forces are moving together, involving the central government, local governments, ministries/agencies, BNPB, BMKG, military (TNI), police, and the community.
Aside from relying on technical efforts in the field, Jumhur conveyed a message of encouragement to all sectors, urging them to seek God's help to end the drought soon.
Along with the firefighting operation, he said, protecting public health is the top priority to prevent residents from the harmful effects of smoke haze exposure. This health mitigation effort is carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, community health centers, and local health service facilities.
Regarding the widespread land clearing, Jumhur stated that the government is implementing a policy without compromise and strongly prohibiting the practice of burning. "We cannot tolerate this, therefore, law enforcement must be carried out," he said.
The Environment Ministry, he said, is intensifying a strict investigation of corporations whose concession areas have burned. Administrative sanctions, civil lawsuits, environmental compensation claims, and the imposition of ecosystem restoration costs are promised to be imposed without discrimination.
Separately, the Executive Director of Pantau Gambut, Iola Abas, dismissed the statement that the scale of this year's forest fire disaster and the impact of the haze are not as large as in previous years. "It should be noted that this has not yet reached its peak in 2026, and the comparison has not been for a full year period," she said.
Iola added that, based on the trajectory of the fire area and the number of hotspots, the situation could worsen by the end of the year. He referred to the dry season and also the El Nino phenomenon which has not yet reached its peak. "So, this year has the potential to be worse than the fires in previous years."
Furthermore, Pantau Gambut concludes that the spike in forest fires in the middle of this year is evidence of the government's failure to manage land properly and protect residents from the impact of extractive industries. They assert that the crisis it causes every year is no longer just an ordinary environmental disaster.
Dinanta P. Sumedi contributed to this article
Read: Indonesia Sanctions Six Companies After Kalimantan Forest Fires Burn 1,511 Hectares
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