PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported several incidents of forest and land fires (karhutla) in the past week, including a fire that broke out on a palm oil plantation in Mukomuko Regency, Bengkulu, on Sunday afternoon, May 25, 2025.
Abdul Muhari, Head of BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, stated that challenging terrain and limited water supply have hampered firefighting efforts at the site.
“The difficult terrain and limited water availability have become major obstacles in extinguishing the fire,” said Muhari, as quoted by Tempo on Friday, May 30, 2025.
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BNPB warns that Indonesia is currently experiencing a transitional season characterized by a “wet dry season,” where both forest fires and floods may occur simultaneously. This rare climatic combination significantly increases the risk of hydrometeorological disasters across various regions.
Muhari noted that moderate to heavy rainfall is still affecting many parts of western and central Indonesia. Meanwhile, other areas are beginning to experience dry weather and soaring temperatures—conditions that raise the likelihood of forest and land fires.
“At the same time, some regions are facing dry conditions and high temperatures,” he added.
BNPB has identified areas at risk of flash floods and landslides, including much of western and central Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Central and East Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, and western Papua.
In contrast, regions with a high potential for forest and land fires during the third week of May 2025 include Riau, West Kalimantan, and parts of South Sumatra. BNPB predicts that fire risk will peak between July and early August 2025.
Given the current situation, BNPB urges local governments and communities to heighten vigilance, improve disaster preparedness, and strengthen coordination to deal with both flooding and wildfire threats effectively. (P2)
