Jakarta, INTI - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) will leverage satellite technology to monitor forest and land fires across Indonesia, including in regions such as Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Papua.
M. Rokhis Khomarudin, Head of BRIN’s Center for Geoinformatics Research, said the initiative was developed in collaboration with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) to utilize satellite technology for more effective fire monitoring. The satellite-based model developed through the collaboration is operated by BMKG.
“Our satellite technology can predict potential drought conditions as an early warning for forest and land fire risks, while also identifying hotspot locations. The monitoring results are provided in real time and can be accessed through hotspot.brin.go.id,” Rokhis said, as quoted by detikINET on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Satellite Technology for Early Fire Detection
Satellite technology is also being used to map and calculate the extent of areas affected by fires through satellite imagery, including Landsat and Sentinel data. The analysis is conducted monthly, with the results delivered to the Ministry of Forestry to support the provision of public information.
The growing use of geoinformatics and geospatial information is playing an increasingly important role in supporting sustainable forest and land management. These technologies enable authorities to monitor forest and land conditions, provide periodic updates, and support data-driven decision-making.
Strengthening Data-Driven Forest Management
Meanwhile, Agus Yasin, Head of the Public Information Services and Dissemination Division at the Ministry of Forestry, said forest management is closely linked to geospatial information. Nearly every decision in the forestry sector has a spatial dimension, requiring accurate information about locations and changes occurring across different areas.
According to Agus, geospatial information can help address a wide range of critical issues in forest management, from identifying fire locations and changes in forest areas to monitoring land-use activities. Such information also serves as an important basis for decision-making.
Advances in technology have made forest monitoring faster and more frequent. While data updates previously took four to six years, technological developments now allow monitoring to be conducted at much shorter intervals, bringing information closer to real-time conditions.
“The development of various remote sensing technologies has resulted in an abundance of data, ranging from Landsat and Sentinel imagery to hotspot data, weather forecasts, field surveys, inventories, community reports, and information from social media,” Agus said.
However, the growing volume of available data also presents new challenges. According to Agus, the key challenge in managing forestry information is no longer simply about data availability, but also about how the growing range of information can be effectively managed, integrated, and utilized.
The integration of satellite technology, geospatial information, and remote sensing data is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s ability to detect forest fires at an early stage, monitor affected areas, and support more responsive and data-driven forest management.
Conclusion
The integration of satellite technology, geospatial information, and remote sensing is strengthening Indonesia’s capacity to monitor and respond to forest and land fires. By combining real-time hotspot detection, satellite imagery, weather data, and field information, government agencies can identify potential risks earlier, monitor affected areas more efficiently, and support more responsive decision-making. As data availability continues to expand, stronger integration and utilization of these technologies will be essential to building more effective, sustainable, and data-driven forest management across Indonesia.
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