- Palm plantations do not ‘cause’ forest fires in Indonesia
- World’s forest institutions point out situation is complex and multifaceted
- Indonesian private sector actively engages in fire prevention
The recent fires in Europe are a reminder that fire always remains a risk. As the end of the dry season approaches, it is a risky time for forest fires in Indonesia.
Fires are a complex issue requiring multifaceted solutions. As CIFOR, the world’s leading forest research organisation has stated, “The fires do not have a single cause. They are the result of activities by a network of different actors from the community, government, non-government, and private sectors.”
They have also said, “One cannot always assume that burning within concessions is caused by large companies.”
It’s important to remember that – despite what NGOs might claim — Palm oil is not the leading cause of fires in Indonesia. Global Forest Watch (GFW) data show just 11 per cent of Indonesia’s fires in 2019 were inside oil palm plantation areas.
Just as with its efforts to reduce deforestation, Indonesia has taken a number of measures to ensure that fires are prevented and managed, mitigating the negative social, economic and environmental impacts of fires.
A key pillar of Indonesia’s approach has been detection. Indonesia has invested heavily in developing and implementing early warning systems. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) provides regional haze outlook and hotspot information, while Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) uses this data along with its own monitoring systems to predict fire risk areas.
The use of satellite technology has been crucial in fire detection and monitoring. Indonesia utilizes data from various satellites, integrating this information into the National Forest Monitoring System (SIMONTANA), allowing for near real-time fire detection and response.
The private sector also plays a crucial role. Large palm oil companies have adopted zero burn policies, and stricter fire prevention measures through mandatory certification systems such as ISPO, voluntary certification systems (e.g. RSPO), as well as investments in fire prevention and suppression equipment and collaborations with authorities.
When fires do occur, Indonesia employs various suppression techniques, including water bombing using aircraft, ground-level firefighting with specialized equipment, and creating firebreaks to stop fire spread.
To put Indonesia’s firefighting capacity in perspective, it’s instructive to compare it with a developed country like the United States. The U.S. Forest Service, with its annual budget of over $5 billion and access to over 10,000 firefighters, stands in stark contrast to Indonesia’s more limited resources. Indonesia’s vast and often remote peatland areas present unique challenges that differ from the predominantly forest fires in the U.S.
The majority of Indonesia’s fires occur in peatland areas, particularly on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. Peatlands, when drained and dried, become highly flammable. Once ignited, peat fires can burn for months.
The Peatland Restoration Agency (BRGM), established in 2016, has been tasked with restoring 2.67 million hectares of degraded peatlands. Techniques employed include canal blocking to rewet peatlands, revegetation with native species to restore the ecosystem, and promoting paludiculture – wet agriculture techniques suitable for peatlands.
At the policy level, the Indonesian government has strengthened its legal framework to address fire issues. Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, Government Regulation No. 71/2014 on Protection and Management of Peat Ecosystems, and Presidential Instruction No. 11/2015 on Increasing Forest and Land Fire Control all work to criminalize the use of fire for land clearing and impose strict penalties on violators.
In 2011, Indonesia implemented a moratorium on new licenses for primary forest and peatland conversion. This moratorium, initially temporary, was made permanent in 2019, covering an area of 66 million hectares. To address land use conflicts that often lead to fires, Indonesia also launched the One Map Policy in 2018. This initiative aims to create a single, unified map of land use and concessions across the country, reducing conflicts and improving land management.
One of the key reasons Indonesia’s deforestation rates have fallen significantly over the past decade is because of the efforts put into fire management. But vigilance is always needed.