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Title: Peatland Fire in Central Kalimantan Needs Immediate Action!!!
Date: 15-Aug-2002
Category: Indonesia
Source/Author: KSC-Climate Change, Forests and Peatlands in Indonesia (CCFPI) Investigation Report
Description: Present condition of Fire in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia

 

 

Bitter experience from forest and land fire disaster in 1997 in Central Kalimantan is no longer enough as learning source by Central Kalimantan community. The bad experience five years ago seems to be repeated again during the dry season this year.


It is seemed like a normal panorama to witness the fire burn peatland along the left and right sides of Trans Kalimantan road toward Kuala Kapuas. Approximately 10 hectares of peatland area was burning near Tumbang Nusa village on Tuesday (13/08) when KSC-CCFPI visited this area. A group of fire brigade from forestry provincial office tried hardly to put the fire out. However, due to the limitation of personnel, tools and transportation their effort seemed to be less effective. Another technical problem to put the fire out on the ground at the time was because the fire existed on the below ground or deep layer of peat so that it is required much more water to reach it.


Similarly, situation in suburban area of Palangka Raya huge area of peat is still under fire. KSC-CCFPI also met two groups of fire brigade consist of army and police personnel on the ground on Wednesday (14/08) had tried to put the fire out with just one water pump machine. Yet, their effort was just only to reduce further spreading of fire and less effective to stop the fire.


In the meantime, Vice head of Provincial Forestry office admitted to KSC-CCFPI on Tuesday that his office has calculated around 175 hectares of land have been burned throughout Central Kalimantan at the moment and most of them occurred on the peatland area particularly within mega rice project. He also added that there were around 45 hotspots have been identified through NOAA satellite detector in Central Kalimantan by August 13, 2002.


Endeavor to put the fire outhas also been done by local government through sending several groups of fire brigade to several different places. About 10-12 groups are sent everyday to the field so as to reduce the spreading of fire. However, due to the limitation of personnel, toolsas well as budget, their effort just only to slow the fire spreading rate and still difficult to stop the fire. Therefore, local government is still seeking assistance from outside both from domestic and overseas to stop the fire. Assistance is urgently needed particularly to support logistic, consumption for fire brigade personnel, procurement of water pump and other field tools. Fire notably on the peatland area must be stopped promptly otherwise negative effects both to local people and on the global climate cannot be avoided.


Meanwhile, in the last two weeks, haze has covered Palangka Raya town. Dwellers have to wear a masker in order to protect themselves from inhaling dirty air. Data from Indeks Standard Polusi Udara (Air pollution standard index) in the city center shown that air quality in the town has already reached at a very dangerous level since last week.


Fire is still underway particularly on the peatland and there is no sign to decrease for incoming days, therefore, immediate actions should be carried out to stop it and the role of international community to resolve this problem is also required. To protect the peatland is not only responsible of local community but also part of international community responsibility.         

                                  



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