Indonesian police promote collaborative forest fire mitigation

Police training programs in Indonesia are emphasizing the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration and community-based strategies to combat forest and land fires (karhutla).

In Samboja Barat, East Kalimantan, the Sespimti Polri Batch 36 Task Force held a focus group discussion highlighting that preventing environmental damage, health risks from haze, and economic disruptions requires synergy between the government, security forces, businesses, academics, and local communities. The forum aimed to identify high-risk areas and strengthen early detection systems.

Similarly, in East Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan, participants from the Sespimmen Polri Batch 67 promoted community-based mitigation strategies. Discussions involving local government, military, and fire departments identified significant challenges, including vast surveillance areas, limited personnel and equipment, and the difficulty of managing peatlands, where fire can spread beneath the surface. Experts noted that a paradigm shift is required, moving from reactive firefighting to an integrated system of prevention, early detection, rapid response, and law enforcement.