Jakarta, July 14 -- The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry is reshaping its regulatory framework and local defense systems to mitigate forest and land fires ahead of an expected early and prolonged dry season, officials announced on Tuesday.

The state-led initiative shifts the government's approach from reactive firefighting to long-term prevention as meteorologists warn of extended dry conditions across the archipelago.

"What I want is structural improvement, not just case-by-case responses," Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said in a statement.

"We need to identify which regulations require changes and what actions we must take to bring about a structural, long-term shift."

Under the directive, authorities are auditing fire-control i...