Six directives from the President regarding Forest and Land Fires in 2021

In early 2021, a number of hotspots were found in several areas prone to forest and land fires. In fact, several areas were burned in Jambi and Riau Provinces. To prevent the recurrence of severe forest and land fires, President Joko Widodo gave several directions at the 2021 National Coordination Meeting for Forest and Land Fire Control which was held at the State Palace. President Joko Widodo emphasized at least six things to control forest and land fires:

1. Prioritized activities to prevent forest and land fires
   The President emphasized the importance of consolidated and organized field management so that early detection and fire suppression activities can be carried out optimally. Moreover, the President also asked the ranks below to always update information on the field conditions by utilizing the latest technology.
2. Development of monitoring infrastructure and monitoring activities that should be carried out at the lower level
   The President gave an example of a technology application owned by the Riau Police which he saw during a visit to Pekanbaru City, Riau Province, on 20 February 2020. The President also requested that government elements, the Army and the Police (Babinsa, Bhabinkamtibmas), as well as the village heads be involved in preventing forest fires.
3. Permanent solution to prevent and deal with forest and land fires must be sought immediately
   The President emphasized that 99 percent of forest fires are caused by humans, whether intentional or unintentional due to negligence. 
4. The management of the peat ecosystem in the peat hydrological area must be continued
   The President asked the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency to focus on managing peat hydrological areas.
5. Don't let the fire spreads until it is hard to control
   The President requested that all government elements in the regions, including governors, district heads, mayors, as well as the Army and Police, including the regional military commanders, territory military commanders, district military commanders, provincial police chiefs, and district/city police chiefs, must be responsive in handling this matter.
6. Law enforcement measures are carried out against the arsonists without compromise
   The President asked for strict law enforcement against anyone who burns forest and land, whether in concessions owned by corporations, owned by companies, or in the community so that it will create a deterrent effect.