Prabowo Summons Experts for Forest Fire Mitigation Meeting
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi noted that several experts were summoned to attend a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto.
President Prabowo Subianto convened a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on September 24, 2026, to discuss forest and land fire mitigation efforts. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi emphasized the importance of targeting all sectors in prevention measures, expressing regret that recent incidents continue to recur. Several experts were invited to the meeting, though specific identities were not disclosed.
Prasetyo stressed the significance of public education in combating forest fires, noting that the root cause of most fires is human activity. The President has instructed his administration to facilitate land clearing without resorting to slash-and-burn practices, instead advocating for the use of heavy machinery. If land clearing is necessary, the government will provide assistance, allocate a specific budget, and request reporting to authorities.
To achieve multifaceted wildfire mitigation, the government is working to integrate fire prevention concepts into local school curricula and early childhood education. Prasetyo also mentioned that the government is preparing operational support equipment, including the procurement of Beriev-model aircraft, firefighting tools, and thousands of fire trucks acquired last year, which are proving essential in meeting current emergency demands.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
