Expert urges Indonesia to prioritize preventing wildfires

Muhamad Zainal Arifin, director of the Center for Studies and Advocacy on Natural Resource Law (Pustaka Alam), urged the Indonesian government to shift its approach to forest and land fires toward prevention, control, and fair accountability, rather than focusing mainly on punishment after fires break out. He said karhutla is not only a legal violation, but is also tied to land governance, supervision, ecosystem conditions, weather, and the effectiveness of prevention efforts. Zainal said sanctions can deter violations, but they do not automatically eliminate risk, especially in areas with severe dryness, damaged peat hydrology, accumulated flammable material, or open-access zones. He also called for a review of existing policies so they address the root causes, not just the consequences after fires spread.