Indonesia to assess foreign firefighting aid offers, hopes to extinguish blazes within a month
The Indonesian environment minister also outlined plans to tighten land-clearing laws to prevent future forest fires, including scrapping an exemption allowing small-scale burning under traditional practices.
Indonesia is evaluating offers of foreign firefighting aid, with the aim of putting out blazes within a month, according to Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat. During a forum in Jakarta, Hidayat emphasized the need to evaluate the effectiveness of any assistance provided to enhance ground firefighting operations. While Malaysia has offered firefighting aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 personnel, as well as Singapore preparing to assist wherever necessary, Hidayat noted that small deployments of personnel may have limited impact due to the existing deployment of tens of thousands of responders by Indonesia.
Ground operations remain dominant, as some areas are inaccessible to helicopters due to thick smoke. Indonesia aims to extinguish all forest and land fires within a month, with firefighting efforts currently focused on Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra provinces. The Minister also announced plans to eliminate an exemption allowing burning on plots up to two hectares per household under traditional practices, as well as considering prohibiting the replanting of plantation crops on burned concession land.
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