Indonesia explores Brazilian innovation to combat forest fires

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government is intensifying efforts to extinguish forest and land fires in several parts of Indonesia, including by testing a Brazilian-made fire suppressant liquid in South Sumatra.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the government will optimize various extinguishing methods, both by air and land, to address the ongoing fires.

"We have received assistance from Brazil in the form of a sprayed, settling liquid to extinguish the fires. We have tested this liquid in South Sumatra and Kalimantan. Hopefully, these efforts can extinguish the fire quickly," he said in Jakarta on Sunday.

Dudung also conveyed plan to visit several areas affected by fire, including South Sumatra, in the near future to evaluate ongoing efforts to tackle the blazes.

He added that firefighting operations would continue both from the air, with helicopter support, and on the ground, with personnel deployed directly to affected areas.

Previously, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported a trial of the use of fire extinguishers to combat peatland fires.

In a statement on Friday (October 9), BNPB said the use of Realiza Anti-Chamas from Brazil had been tested in the Banyuasin area, South Sumatra. The liquid is mixed with water and sprayed onto fires to help prevent them from spreading.

According to Listyo, President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the Indonesian Military, the National Police, regional governments, and relevant ministries to continue the fire extinguishing effort.

"All measures are being intensified, from deploying aerial and ground task forces to expanding public education and improving regulations. We are also working to make the Peat Restoration Agency more flexible in responding to and preventing forest and land fires," Listyo noted.