Indonesia's Environment Minister Orders Zero Fires in All Forest and Palm Oil Concessions

Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat urged the roughly 400 companies holding forestry, palm‑oil and industrial concessions to ensure no fires occur on their lands. Speaking at a work meeting on peat‑land fire prevention ahead of the expected El Niño of 2026, he emphasized consistent mitigation, the removal of ignition points and strengthened readiness.

Key measures include building and maintaining canal blocks to keep peat‑soil water levels high, and systematic rewetting of peat areas to keep the ecosystem moist and resistant to extreme weather conditions.