UI Expert Warns Prabowo: Water Bombing Ineffective on Peat, Needs 1 Million Liters per Hectare

President Prabowo Subianto received critical input from University of Indonesia fire expert Yulianto Sulistyo Nugroho that the water bombing method that has been the mainstay in forest and land fire (karhutla) suppression operations is ineffective when fire burns peatland. In a meeting at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (24/9/2026), Yulianto presented his laboratory findings showing how enormous the water requirement is to extinguish burning peat.

According to Yulianto, peat becomes hydrophobic after extreme drying, so water is difficult to absorb and the fire keeps smoldering below the surface. "From our research using laboratory-scale water spray, to extinguish 1 kilogram of peat requires about 6 liters of water," he said before the President. That figure, he said, is very surprising and has implications for the scale of field operations.

With that assumption, to extinguish one hectare of peatland, the water requirement could reach 200,000 to 1 million liters. "This is extraordinary," Yulianto stressed. He added that water bombing, which has been used in karhutla operations, is ineffective based on the research data he has. "Is water bombing effective? Looking at our data, it is not effective, Mr. President," he added.

Yulianto emphasized that once peat burns, suppression efforts become very difficult and expensive. Therefore, prevention must be the priority. "The key is how we prevent. Once a fire has occurred, it is very difficult to extinguish," he said. He also encouraged the development of early detection methods to identify hotspots before they grow.

As an alternative, Yulianto mentioned that direct injection into the peat layer could speed up handling. However, geographic challenges in the form of difficult access to peat locations remain an obstacle. "In peatland, access is very difficult. Therefore, prevention again becomes one of the keys," he stressed.

This warning comes amid the rising risk of karhutla along with the dry season and the El Nino phenomenon predicted to strengthen in 2026. Peatlands in Indonesia, especially in Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, and Kalimantan, store giant carbon reserves. Fires on peatland not only release large amounts of carbon emissions but also create transboundary haze that disrupts health, aviation, and economic activity.

For investors and businesses, karhutla uncertainty can disrupt supply chains for commodities such as palm oil, rubber, and pulp. Transportation disruptions due to haze also have the potential to weigh on the logistics and tourism sectors. The government itself is pushing for an accelerated energy transition and climate commitments, so failure to handle karhutla could damage Indonesia's credibility in the eyes of global investors and trading partners.

The water bombing method has so far been a symbol of the government's rapid response. However, Yulianto's findings underscore the need for a science- and technology-based approach. Direct injection, for example, could be a more targeted solution although it requires special equipment and trained personnel. In addition, peat risk mapping and sensor-based early warning systems need to be expanded.

President Prabowo has not yet given an official response to the input. However, this meeting shows that the government is opening space for dialogue with academics. Going forward, karhutla handling policy is expected to no longer rely on conventional ways, but instead adopt research findings for effectiveness and budget efficiency.

The big question: will the government shift part of the water bombing budget to early detection and prevention technology? If not, karhutla on peatland will continue to be a time bomb threatening the environment, health, and national economy.