Jakarta (Greeners) – The perpetual land and forest fires for over two decades are due to the increasing number of hotspots in some regions. Record from Forestry and Environment Ministry (KLHK) shows 5.5 million hectares of land are affected by land and forest fires. Further, since the massive forest fires in 2015, Indonesia has lost Rp 221 trillion.

According to Director of Auriga Nusantara Foundation Dedy Sukmara, hotspots are the main culprit of land and forest fires. Most of these hotspots are peatland. Data from Auriga Nusantara shows ten provinces in which land and forest fires emerge.

These provinces are Central, West, East and South Kalimantan, South and North Sumatera, Riau, Jambi, East Nusa Tenggara, and Papua. Other than Jambi, Central, and East Kalimantan, seven of these provinces see land and forest fires frequently.

“This is because the hotspots of land and forest fires have their own cycle,” says Sukmara on a webinar held by Auriga Nusantara “Belajar dari Kebakaran Dua Puluh Tahun Teakhir”, “Learning from Forest Fires in the Last Twenty Years,” (08/09/2020).

Also read: Forest Fires Changes Orangutan Behavior

More Study is Needed to Examine Hotspots

Last year, Sukmara continues, hotspots in Riau, South Sumatera, and Jambi are significantly increasing than hotspots from the previous two decades. However, when the data is compared from 2015 to 2019, there is not much difference.

“In 2019, Jambi records 1,136 percent or eleven times surge in peatland hotspots. In the same year, South Sumatera and Riau record 556 and 367 percent of hotspots hike,” Sukmara explains.

In the last five years, Auriga Nusantara also finds new areas with hotspots. These new hotspots are located in North and Central Sulawesi and North Kalimantan.

Further, Auriga Nusantara detects hike in hotspots in West Kalimantan in May, where it starts to decrease in October. In South and Central Kalimantan and Jambi, hotspots peak in July and begin to drop in September. On the other hand, Auriga Nusantara identifies hotspots hike in Papua in September and shrinks in October.

“We need to examine this issue further. Not only on the area where land and forest fires regularly occur but also in new areas where fire epicenter are discovered in the last five years,” adds Sukmara.

Hutan yang teah terbakar. Ilustrasi: shutterstock

KLHK: Satellite Detects Decrease in Hotspots on Confidence Level

Nonetheless, according to KLHK Head of Directorate of Forest Fires Prevention Radiyan Bagiyono, there is a ninety percent decrease of hotspots on a confidence level. This data is based on hotspots analysis from January 1^st to September 14^th, 2019, and 2020.

“Data from the satellite shows that areas affected to forest fires on January 1^st to August 31^st, 2020, echoes the data that shows a 63 percent decrease on hotspots. According to our calculation, there are 120,536 hectares of the affected area this year. This number is less than last year, where the affected area was 328.724 hectares,” says Bagiyono on a media briefing “Upaya Pengendalian Karhutla Ditingkat Tapak,” “Effort to Control Forest Fires in Subdistrict,” Tuesday (15/09).

Also read: Indonesia Prepares Grand Design on Forest Fires Prevention

Defending the Locals

When asked about the land and forest fires issue, West Kalimantan Governor, Sutarmidji defends the residents. He admits that locals are usually the scapegoat in the land and forest issue. However, he believes that giant companies that refuse to pay for land compensation are the real culprit.

Sutarmidji explains, these giant companies usually demand clean and ready to use land from locals. Yet, without the proper resources and equipment, locals would choose the burning method as an easy way to clean the land.

Furthermore, Sutarmidji clarifies that most of the land and forest fires occur in plantation and forestry companies. West Kalimantan already issued a letter to 157 companies to warn them about the fires. His administration also bans 167 companies and pursue a forced administration penalty to 20 companies.

“These companies should be our focus. All this time, these companies are free. They have never been apprehended. Locals, on the other hand, are put in jails,” he continues.

Scientific Approach to Tackle Forest Fires

Commenting on the issue, Bambang Hero Saharjo from Institut Pertanian Bogor explains that the land and forest fires issue is not only due to the practice of burning land from the locals. Saharjo argues that the way of selling and buying land and insurance claim are also factors on the issue.

Further, he argues that the government is not enforcing the law. According to Saharjo, the government has been neglecting the forest fires issue. The government also fail to engage with the locals to control the fires.

“Instead of the scientifical approach, the government uses a political approach to fight land and forest fires,” he adds.

Additionally, Saharjo gives criticism to the lack of adequate equipment on the site to fight fires.

“To combat the land and forest fires, we literally need to be equipped with good science. Based on the scientific approach, we can see the correct steps to encounter land the forest fires. We also need to engage with locals, partnered with the locals, and not making them as our sparring partner. Last, we need steady law enforcement where the forest fires culprit can be punished accordingly,” he argues.

Writers: Maria Soterini, Dewi Purningsih

Editor: Ixora Devi

Jakarta (Greeners) – Approaching dry season and the 2018 Asian Games in Palembang and Jakarta, which will be held on August to September, Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) steps up on forest and land fires control, said Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, in Jakarta, on Monday (25/6/2018) adding that Manggala Agni, the ministry’s fire fighters, as the anchor on the effort.

“We have been intensively monitoring for this forest and land forests. I have been checking hotspots from morning to afternoon. I also monitor reliable agencies and coordination system to make this forest and land fires easy to handle. But, the bottom line is that we manage to tackle forest and land fires for the past two years,” she said.

Based on a ministerial decision letter issued in 2018, the ministry is stipulated to form a working team to clarify permits on areas burned down, establishes crisis center, form a working team on regional, and dispatch Manggala Agni personnel and their equipment to critical areas.

Furthermore, Minister Siti said she had instructed senior officials to give special attentions to Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, East Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, especially Luwu district, and Central Sulawesi, especially Morowali district and Papua, especially Merauke district.

“Ministry of Environment and Forestry has established posts in regional levels closer to hot spot and people. Air quality parameter is the important information to discover the weather condition, so we must monitor every day in posts on areas prone to forest and land fires,” she said.

READ ALSO: Indonesia To Implement Less Waste Asian Games 

Based on ministry’s data, forest fires reduced for 34.07 percent in 2017 compare to fires in 2016 and in 2015 which spiked to 88.23 percent. Hotspots decreasing between 2015 and 2017 are 21,929 in 2015, 3,915 in 2016, and 2,581 in 2017. Meanwhile, emissions from peat fires was 12.5 million tons CO2e in 2017 or 1.56 percent in 2015.

“In addition, we also prepare 18 airplanes in Riau, South Sumatra, West Sumatra, as higher hotspots to 115 percent compare last year in the three locations,” she said. “There are provinces with hotspots, such as Aceh, North Sumatra, and East Nusa Tenggara.”

Director of Forest and Land Fires Control, Raffles B. Panjaitan, said that 16 hot spot recorded in North Sumatra from January to June 8, 2018, by NOAA satellite, meanwhile 14 hotspots recorded by TERRA/AQUA (NASA).

“This condition must be monitored to reduce fires potential especially leading up to 2018 Asian Games in Palembang. Besides North Sumatra, other areas such as Riau, Jambi and North Sumatra must be prepared to prevent smokes. We will work together to make the 2018 Asian Games, free of smoke,” said Panjaitan.

READ ALSO: Peatlands Management To Reach Paris Commitment, Senior Adviser Says 

Furthermore, he said that integrated patrols in areas prone to forest and land fires are effective and ensured regional elections did not lower the anticipation to prevent the fires.

In addition, the ministry also prepare human resources and fire fighting facilities since 2018 for Riau, North Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan.

“All personal had been dispatched to patrol, field check on hotspots, and early fire fighting, consultation and rising awareness, People Fire Care and facilities,” he said.

Reports by Dewi Purningsih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Despite of Riau police had ordered to stop investigation over 15 companies allegedly burning lands in 2015, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya stated that her office would still pursuit legal action against them.

“Riau police will be handling crime charges, however, the ministry will be focusing on civil charges and administration sanction,” she said in a message, on Tuesday (26/7) adding that they would still be supportive of the police investigation.

READ ALSO: Ahead of President Jokowi’s Visit, Riau Province Steps Up Its Forest Fires Prevention

Previously, Director General of Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Rasio Ridho Sani, said that the ministry would pressed on civil and administration charges by its civil servants.

“For civil charges, the ministry had submitted lawsuits against PT JJP and NSP, which is waiting on South Jakarta District Court’s decision,” said Rasio adding the court had twice suspended its decision.

Police spokesman Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar said that the decision to stop the investigation was in accordance to procedure.

The decision came after investigators, Riau chief police and Riau District Court concluded there were no criminal elements based on evidence, witness statements and others.

“So, as investigators could not find any criminal charges, not enough evidence, and not categorized as crime then they can stop the investigation,” said Boy.

READ ALSO: BMKG: Stop Burning Lands on Dry Season

Riau police stopped investigations on 15 companies, — PT Bina Duta Laksana, PT Perawang Sukses Perkasa Indonesia, PT Ruas Utama Jaya, PT Suntara Gajah Pati, PT Dexter Perkasa Industri, PT Siak Raya Timber, dan PT Sumatera Riang Lestari. Lainnya adalah PT Bukit Raya Pelalawan, PT Hutani Sola Lestari, KUD Bina Jaya Langgam, PT Rimba Lazuardi, PT Partawira, PT Alam Sari Lestari, PT PAN United, and PT Riau Jaya Utama –.

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesian Consumers Association Foundation or YLKI calls for public to stop buying products from companies involved on forest and land fires.

Chair of YLKI Tulus Abadi demanded for the government to be transparent in revealing the culprit, especially if it was related to corporations and their subsidiaries.

Tulus added that consumers were obliged morally not to buy products as a result of destroying the environment.

“This boycott, if massively done, can become an effective social punishment for ‘naughty’ companies which causing environmental damages,” he said to Greeners in Jakarta, on Monday (26/10).

Furthermore, Tulus announced that YLKI had set up a public haze disaster aid post which receives supports such as masks, medicines, food, and other mat.

These aids can be sent to YLKI’s office at Jl. Pancoran Barat VII No. 1 Duren Tiga, South Jakarta. Telephone numbers are (021) 7971378 and (021) 7981858 or Fax (021) 7981038. Or, contact the aid post’ coordinator Agus Suyatno at 0818 0828 6535.

Meanwhile, money donations can be transferred to YLKI II Pasar Minggu account 035-3-80546-8

“Aids can also be sent through YLKI’s partners in Banjarmasin of South Kalimantan located at Jl. Brigjen Katamso, Second Floor, Nomor 17-25 or contact Yusrin at 0823 5897 4545,” he added.

The National Agency on Disaster Mitigation or BNPB said that haze disaster resulted from land forest fires were still going on and spreading and have claimed lives. At least ten people were killed and no less than 500,000 people were affected by acute respiratory problems.

Report by Danny Kosasih