Forest Fires Spread Across Three Provinces, North Sumatra Declares Forest and Land Fire Emergency Status

Illustration of forest and land fire (ANTARA)

JAKARTA – In mid-August 2025, several forest and land fires (karhutla) broke out in three provinces: Aceh, Central Java, and North Sumatra. Abdul Muhari, Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB)'s Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, stated that these incidents had been successfully handled and the situation was currently under control, although monitoring was ongoing as of 7:00 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

"Fires were recorded in Southwest Aceh, Sukoharjo, and North Padang Lawas. There were no casualties, but dozens of hectares of land were burned, resulting in material losses," Abdul Muhari said in a statement Tuesday morning.

In Southwest Aceh Regency, a fire broke out on Sunday, August 17, at 3:30 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) in Ie Mirah Village, Babahrot District. Approximately 7.5 hectares of land were scorched. A joint team from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and related agencies successfully extinguished the fire that same day. The situation is currently under control, although monitoring is ongoing.

Another fire broke out in Sukoharjo, Central Java, on Sunday evening at around 8:00 PM WIB in Watubonang Village, Tawangsari District. The fire burned approximately 25 hectares of land. Thanks to the synergy between the Sukoharjo Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the village government, the community, and volunteers, the fire was extinguished before it spread further.

In North Sumatra, a fire broke out in Mangaledang Lama Village, Portibi District, North Padang Lawas Regency, on Sunday, August 17, at 3:30 PM WIB. Five hectares of a resident's oil palm plantation burned. The fire was extinguished through mutual cooperation between the BPBD, local authorities, and the community, until it was brought under control.

Abdul Muhari emphasized that although conditions in each location were under control, the potential for new hotspots remained.

"We continue to monitor and urge the public to remain vigilant, especially during this dry season," he added.

Furthermore, as a precautionary measure, North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution has declared six regencies in his province to be on Emergency Alert status for Forest and Land Fires. This declaration is stipulated in North Sumatra Governor Decree Number 188/22/461/KPTS/2025, and is effective from July 22 to August 31, 2025. The six regencies are Toba, Dairi, Karo, Samosir, Simalungun, and Humbang Hasundutan.

Through this status declaration, the North Sumatra Provincial Government, together with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and related agencies, is accelerating various mitigation efforts, such as providing clean water using BPBD tankers to address drought, implementing Technical Guidance (Bimtek) for the Forest and Land Fire Task Force, and weather modification operations in the Lake Toba area with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Overall, the rapid response to forest and land fires from mid-July to mid-August 2025 demonstrates the synergy between the central and regional governments. "Even though North Sumatra is not a priority province for handling national forest and land fires, assistance from the central government is still available," said BNPB Head Suharyanto.