en.Sketsamalang.com – Indonesian content creator and activist Ferry Irwandi has brought Indonesia’s ongoing forest and land fires to the attention of international media leaders while mobilizing public support for forest protection. His Patungan untuk Hutan campaign, launched with conservationist Andrew Kalaweit, had raised more than Rp10.5 billion from 126,451 donations as of October 15, 2026, as Irwandi used a media gathering in New York to highlight the country’s continuing fire crisis.
According to AyoJakarta.com, Irwandi had originally planned to use the invitation from YouTube to network with international media executives and share the digital media strategies behind his channels, Malaka and Trifellas. However, the continuing fires in Indonesia prompted him to change his priorities and focus on the environmental crisis.
“Originally, I prepared for this event for networking and pitching, hoping it might help us go international. But what is happening now changed everything. In the end, my main agenda became the forest fires,” he wrote on Threads on October 7, 2026, according to AyoJakarta.com.
Bringing Indonesia’s Forest Fires to International Attention
During the meetings, Irwandi raised concerns about the fires and the need to draw wider attention to their consequences. In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel on 9 October, he described the response from the media representatives he had spoken with.
“Every news agency I met, every leader I spoke with, and every forum participant I discussed this issue with responded well and very quickly,” he said in the video.
Beyond raising awareness, Irwandi also explored approaches that could inform Indonesia’s response to forest fires. One example was ALERTCalifornia, a public safety program based at the University of California San Diego that works with California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as CAL FIRE.
The program combines a network of monitoring cameras with artificial intelligence tools that can identify signs of potential fires and alert emergency personnel. The technology is intended to help responders confirm incidents earlier and act before fires spread. Its approach could offer useful lessons for improving early detection and response in Indonesia, although local implementation would require assessment of the country’s terrain, infrastructure, and operational needs.
Irwandi also highlighted Spain’s Ley de Montes, or forestry legislation. Spanish law restricts changes to the forest use of burned land for at least 30 years, subject to the applicable legal provisions. The policy is intended to protect forest regeneration and prevent fires from becoming a route to changing how forest land is used.
“From fellow media colleagues I also received several solutions, ranging from the use of technology in California to regulations in Spain,” he wrote, according to AyoJakarta.com.
The two examples illustrate different approaches to forest protection: using technology to strengthen early detection and applying legal safeguards to burned areas. Irwandi said he intended to study these approaches in greater detail after returning to Indonesia.
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Patungan untuk Hutan Raises More Than Rp10.5 Billion
Irwandi’s international outreach has taken place alongside a public fundraising initiative called Patungan untuk Hutan, or “Collective Contribution for the Forest,” launched with conservationist Andrew Kalaweit in September 2026.
According to IDN Times, the campaign had raised Rp10,519,523,391 from 126,451 donations as of October 15, against a fundraising target of Rp50 billion. Irwandi shared the milestone in an Instagram post thanking contributors and providing information about the campaign’s updates and distribution activities.
“We have passed 10.5 billion. Thank you very much, friends. All updates on distribution, activities and information are available on @patunganuntukhutan, email and the landing page,” Irwandi posted, according to IDN Times.
The campaign’s distribution efforts have involved teams working in Kalimantan, Papua, and Sumatra. Irwandi also said that assistance was continuing across the three regions.
“To this day distribution continues together with our friends in Kalimantan, Papua and Sumatra,” Irwandi stated, according to Liputan6.
The fundraising milestone reflects substantial public participation in efforts to address Indonesia’s environmental challenges. However, the precise allocation of funds and the outcomes of individual activities should be assessed through the campaign’s official financial and distribution updates.
Public Action and the Responsibility to Protect Forests
Public fundraising and international advocacy can help direct attention and resources toward forest protection, but they do not replace the responsibilities of government agencies and businesses operating in forest areas. Effective responses also require prevention, law enforcement, coordinated emergency operations, and long-term ecosystem restoration.
Indonesia continues to face serious forest-fire and haze impacts. Reuters reported on October 15 that fires had damaged forest habitats in Borneo and Sumatra, placing additional pressure on wildlife and communities affected by the crisis.
Irwandi’s efforts in New York brought Indonesia’s forest fires into conversations with international media representatives, while Patungan untuk Hutan mobilized contributions from more than 126,000 donors. Together, the initiatives demonstrate how media outreach and public participation can support awareness and action. Their longer-term impact, however, will depend on sustained implementation, transparent reporting, and effective forest protection on the ground.