Indonesia orders total ban on land clearing by fire amid forest blazes

Indonesia’s Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian has ordered every regional government to ban land clearing by burning as forest and land fires spread across parts of the country.

Tito issued the instruction after attending an event in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. “When a disaster like this has already occurred, I have issued an instruction from the Home Affairs Ministry not to carry out burning under any circumstances,” he said.

He asked local governments to enforce the ban without exception and apologized for the emergency measure. Tito said the instruction rests on Indonesia’s 2007 disaster law.

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When a disaster like this has already occurred, I have issued an instruction from the Home Affairs Ministry not to carry out burning under any circumstances.

According to Tito, the fires have caused widespread losses for communities, made residents sick, harmed flora and fauna, and disrupted flights. He said central and local authorities were working together to contain the crisis.

“The most important effort is to put out whatever has already burned, no matter what. Second, we must ensure there are no new hotspots,” he said.

Fires have affected areas in Kalimantan, Sumatra, Riau and Jambi. Firefighters, disaster management agencies, the military and police have been mobilized. Authorities are also using water bombing and weather modification operations to encourage rainfall.

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The most important effort is to put out whatever has already burned, no matter what. Second, we must ensure there are no new hotspots.