IPB University Facilitates Hands-On Peat Fire Suppression Training in Ketapang, West Kalimantan

Ketapang, West Kalimantan – Fighting fires on peatlands is not something you can learn from a PowerPoint slide. In Ketapang, one of Indonesia’s most fire-prone peatland regions, 19 participants from the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, and Indonesia got their hands dirty—literally—in an international training on peat fire suppression facilitated by IPB University’s Faculty of Forestry and Environment and the Regional Fire Management Resource Center–Southeast Asia (RFMRC-SEA).

The training was not just theoretical. For one full week at IPB University, participants were guided by three fire experts from France and introduced to advanced fire suppression strategies, including the use of a fire simulator—a tool that mimics real fire behavior to prepare participants for field conditions.

Then came the real test. In Ketapang, the trainees operated out of Manggala Agni’s Regional Fire Operation Base (Daops IX Ketapang), supported by four fire crews (15 personnel), complete equipment, and field facilities.

“We want them to be ready not just on paper. Understanding fire behavior on peatlands requires real field experience,” emphasized Prof. Dr. Bambang Hero Saharjo, M.Agr., a forensic expert on forest and land fires and professor at IPB University.

Peatland fires are notoriously difficult to suppress. Unlike surface fires, they smolder beneath the ground and can reignite even after appearing extinguished. That’s why this kind of hands-on training is so crucial.

Before facing actual fire, participants underwent a dry simulation to familiarize themselves with the equipment. “This is essential so that when they face real fire, there’s no hesitation,” Prof. Bambang added.

The real-world fire suppression took place in a controlled peatland site not far from the road, with accessible water sources. Special plots were prepared with different fuel loads and types to simulate varying fire conditions. Parameters like flame length, fire spread rate, wind direction, and local weather were closely monitored.

“We created predefined plots and measured everything—from fuel thickness and volume to air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed—so participants could observe how fires behave under specific conditions,” Prof. Bambang explained.

The team also used thermal drones to record fire temperatures and movement patterns, providing valuable data for future training and fire management efforts.

“We’re not just putting out fires—we’re building future fire leaders who understand the science behind the flames,” he said.

Prof. Bambang confirmed that similar trainings will be held annually for the next four years in different peatland regions across Indonesia.

Other IPB University experts, Prof. Lailan Syaufina and Dr. Ati Dwi Nurhayati, also played key roles in delivering materials on peat fire ecology and impacts, as well as suppression strategies.


Why It Matters

Peatland fires are not just Indonesia’s problem. Their transboundary haze affects the entire Southeast Asian region, with serious consequences for human health, biodiversity, and economies.

Prof. Bambang, who is also a leading figure in international fire science forums, has long advocated for data-driven and science-based fire management. In one of his published articles, he emphasized:

“Peat fires are not merely technical problems but ecological disasters that require integrated solutions based on science and collaboration.”
Bambang Hero Saharjo, in “Combating Peatland Fires in Indonesia”, Environmental Science Journal, 2020.


Selected References by Prof. Bambang Hero Saharjo:

  • Saharjo, B.H. (2020). Combating Peatland Fires in Indonesia: Between Policy, Law Enforcement, and Scientific Evidence. Environmental Science Journal.

  • Saharjo, B.H., & Usup, A. (2017). The Use of Fire by Farmers in Peatland Areas and Its Impacts. Bogor: IPB Press.

  • Saharjo, B.H., et al. (2022). Fire Behavior and Suppression Techniques in Tropical Peatlands. Proceedings of the Regional Fire Management Forum.

Massive Wildfire Forces Evacuation of Over 1,200 Residents in Daegu, South Korea

Daegu city authorities in South Korea ordered the evacuation of over 1,200 residents after strong winds fueled a wildfire, prompting highway closures amid growing fears of the spreading blaze.
📸 via REUTERS/YONHAP NEWS AGENCY

Daegu, South Korea — A fast-spreading wildfire swept through parts of Daegu on Monday, April 28, 2025, prompting the evacuation of more than 1,200 residents as strong winds and dry conditions intensified the blaze. The fire, which began on Mount Hamjisan in the central part of the city, quickly grew into a major emergency.

According to the Korea Forest Service, the wildfire broke out around 2:00 p.m. local time and burned through 50 hectares of land in under two hours. The rapid spread was fueled by high winds and extremely dry vegetation, causing immediate concern for nearby residential areas.

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Innovative Student Project: Three Websites for Real-Time Wildfire Detection Using NOAA Sensor

 

Bangkok, Thailand — An innovative initiative by student interns from the Upper ASEAN Wildland Fire Special Research Unit (WFSRU) has resulted in the creation of three websites for active fire detection, utilizing the VIIRS sensor from NOAA satellites.

The three websites include:

These websites display active fire information based on data from three satellites: NOAA-21, Suomi-NPP, and NOAA-20. The data is available in the system approximately 35–40 minutes after the satellites pass over the monitoring area, making it one of the fastest sources for wildfire information since the data is directly fed from NOAA, not NASA, resulting in quicker updates.

“This initiative is designed to help wildfire control personnel receive hotspot information from satellites as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Veerachai Tanpipat, project supervisor and lead researcher at WFSRU, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University.

The project was developed through a collaboration between WFSRU and three graduate students from Polytech Nantes and Nantes University, France:

  • Morgan Le Treust
  • Dorian Massamba
  • Childeric Oliet

The websites feature an interactive mapping interface, making it easier for governments, communities, and relevant organizations to monitor and respond to forest and land fires in real-time across the countries involved.

📩 For more information or inquiries, please contact:

  • Dr. Veerachai Tanpipat – fforvrc@ku.ac.th
  • Morgan Le Treust – morganletreust@hotmail.fr
  • Dorian Massamba – dorian.massamba12@gmail.com
  • Childeric Oliet – oliet.childeric@gmail.com

 

Author: Robi Deslia Waldi (RDW)

 

Saving Indonesia’s Tropical Rainforests: Between Science, Faith, and Global Collaboration

Photo: Bambang Hero Saharjo

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 
By Prof. Bambang Hero Saharjo, Professor of Forestry and Environment, IPB University

Indonesia’s Rainforests on the Brink

Indonesia’s tropical rainforests cover 10% of the world’s forest area and are home to 12% of the world’s mammals, 16% of reptiles, and 17% of all bird species. Yet in the past two decades, more than 24 million hectares of forest—an area equivalent to the combined size of the UK and the Netherlands—have vanished (World Bank, 2022).

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Scorching Weather Sparks Forest Fires in Riau, 78 Hectares of Land Burned

Source: Facebook Ministry of Environment and Forestry Indonesia

Riau, April 22, 2025, The scorching weather sweeping through Riau Province throughout April 2025 has begun to show serious consequences. Forest and land fires (karhutla) have once again erupted across various regions, with a total of 78.06 hectares of land burned as of mid-April. This situation serves as an early warning for both the public and local authorities, especially with the peak of the dry season expected between May and June.

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Fire Simulation and Peat Fire Control Training: Regional Collaboration to Tackle Peatland Fires

Photo: Group photo (Doc: Robi)

Bogor, April 21, 2025

Bogor, West Java and Ketapang, West Kalimantan | April 21 – May 3, 2025
The Rainforest and Peatlands Fire Centre of Excellence, under the Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, successfully held the Fire Simulation and Peat Fire Control Training, an international capacity-building program aimed at strengthening technical expertise and collaboration in managing peatland fires.

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Massive Fire in Riau’s Tiger and Elephant Habitat: Burned or Set on Fire?

Riau, April 21, 2025 — A devastating fire swept through one of Sumatra’s most critical conservation areas. Five hectares of land inside Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN), located in Pelalawan Regency, Riau, were engulfed in flames on Saturday night (April 19). This is not just any land—it is home to the critically endangered Sumatran elephants and tigers.

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Forging Solutions for Peatlands: IPB University and Kyoto University Join Forces


April 14, 2025

A team of forestry experts from IPB University’s Faculty of Forestry and Environment (Fahutan) has embarked on an important academic mission to Kyoto University, Japan, to strengthen international collaboration in addressing one of Indonesia’s most persistent environmental challenges—peatland degradation and emissions from land and forest fires.

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Uniting for Forest Protection: Government Launches Coordination Desk for Wildfire Management

Photo: https://sipongi.menlhk.go.id/berita/570-pemerintah-bentuk-desk-koordinasi-penanganan-karhutla Jakarta, March 14, 2025 — In a strategic move to tackle the looming threat…

Forest Fire Threatens Asia’s Largest Bird Park in Chai Nat

A Race Against Flames to Save a Natural Treasure

Chai Nat, Thailand – January 28, 2025

A massive forest fire crept dangerously close to one of Thailand’s most beloved tourist spots — the Chainat Bird Park, Asia’s largest aviary, sparking an all-out emergency response that saw more than 20 fire trucks rushing to protect this haven for over 100 species of birds.

The fire, which broke out Monday morning on Khao Plong mountain, quickly spread through dry forestland, driven by winds and scorching heat. By nightfall, it had advanced toward the park’s water park and Bird Egg Museum, according to Jitthana Yingthaweelapa, president of the Chai Nat Provincial Administrative Organisation.

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