FOREST FIRE EMERGENCY STATUS TO PREVENT WILDFIRES FROM SPREADING by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug 13,2016 (Antara) - Hotspots indicating forest, peatland and plantation fires have been detected in several provinces in Indonesia, lately, but hopefully it would not spread to wider areas thanks to swift responses and anticipation.  
    Indonesia's National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) detected 54 hotspots across Sumatra Island, mostly in Riau Province, on August 11.

         "This morning, satellites detected the same number of hotspots as yesterday afternoon. The 54 hotspots are mostly concentrated in Riau," Head of the Pekanbaru meteorological, climatology and geophysics station Slamet Riyadi stated.

           As many as 29 hotspots were found in Riau, nine in South Sumatra, eight in North Sumatra, and five in West Sumatra, apart from two in Jambi, and one on Riau Islands.

          The accuracy rate for detection of hotspots in Riau was 70 percent, with 14 confirmed to have arisen from wildfires, particularly peatland fires, in six regions, with four wildfires respectively found in Dumai and Kampar, three in Bengkali, and one each in Meranti Islands, Pelalawan, and Rokan Hulu.

           The Riau wildfire task force has continued to drop water bombs using helicopters and air tractors to extinguish the blaze.

            The wildfire emergency status declared in June in Riau has been extended until November 30, 2016.

            From January to June 2016, a total of 1.4 thousand hectares of forest, peatland, and plantation areas were ravaged by fires, Edward Sanger, head of the Riau disaster mitigation office, noted.

         "In accordance with the results of the evaluation conducted last week, we have agreed to extend the emergency status period," Commander of the Forest Fire Task Force in Riau Brigadier General Nurendi said.

           By declaring the emergency, the authorities are expected to be able to optimize their efforts to fight the fires that have affected Riau since the past 18 years.

          In fact, four other provinces have declared an emergency alert status in anticipation of land and forest fires, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

          The four provinces are Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.

         "The other provinces prone to land and forest fires are South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan and North Sumatra, but they have not declared an emergency status alert," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, BNPB spokesman, said.

          Following the declaration of such an alert, the BNPB will lend assistance to regional disaster mitigation offices in the five provinces in addressing land and forest fires, he stated.   
     Land and forest fires are being handled through five strategies: first involves firefighting operations on land, firefighting operations in the air, and law enforcement operations, he said.

          Besides, the BNPB is deploying eight water bombing helicopters, two water bombing planes and two cloud seeding planes to help the air task force.

         Three of the water bombing helicopters, two air tractor planes and one cloud seeding plane, have been deployed in Riau. South Sumatera received two water bombing helicopters and an air tractor water bombing plane. Central Kalimantan received two water bombing planes.

          Upon receiving reports on wildfires, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) passed orders for immediate action to prevent forest fires from spreading and become uncontrollable.

         It is predicted that forest and bush fires were more devastating in August and September, therefore, action must not be delayed to put an end to fire when they are still easier to control, Jokowi said.

        He warned of potential hazards from a total of 217 hotspots detected mostly on Sumatra and Kalimantan islands lately.

        The president also ordered effective law enforcement against arsonists including those backed by plantation companies.

         Recently, the South Jakarta District court a punished a sago starch producer PT Nasional Sago Prima (NSP) for fires that destroyed peatland in its concession land last year.

          The court decided in favor of the Forestry and Environment Ministry, which filed the lawsuit against the company.

         Director General for Law Enforcement of the Ministry Rasio Ridho Sani described the court verdict as historical.

          "This is a historical decision against injustice on the environment and human rights," Rasio said.

          Furthermore,  President Jokowi) asked all relevant agencies to set up land and forest fire command posts up to a sub-district level to prevent and handle land and forest fires.

          "The president has asked all rank and file including the Home Affairs Ministry, the National Defense Forces, and the National Police to make every effort to set up command posts at a sub-district level," Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said in a press conference after a limited cabinet meeting discussing wildfires, at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on August 12.

          "The president has reminded all rank and file of the need to take steps as early as possible to prevent a recurrence of the 2015 land and forest fires," he said.

           Therefore, they must prepare an early warning system from now on to detect any sign of land and forest fires. As the satellite can detect the land and forest fires, they can take preventive measures from the beginning, he said.

          Based on the satellite image, land and forest fires can be handled under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs and the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, he said.

       Based on data of the NOAA satellites, a total of 1,043 hotspots were detected from January 1 to July 9, a drop of 67.03 percent from 2,121 hotspots recorded during the same period in 2015.

         The Terra and Aqua satellites, however, recorded a total of 1,868 hotspots in 2016, a decrease of 329 hotspots, or 14.97 percent, compared to that recorded in the corresponding period in the previous year.

         However, Forestry and Environmental Affairs Minister Siti Nurbaya stated on July 11 that she did not want to rely on the data of hotspots obtained from satellites, particularly since they were operated by a foreign country.

        "The most effective way is by conducting on-field checks through an integrated patrolling system," Nurbaya stated.  ***4***
(f001/INE)
Edited by INE

(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 13-08-2016 15:40:36