In response to the increasing challenges posed by wildfires across the globe, Kasetsart University’s Faculty of Forestry is offering an intensive and globally-oriented course titled Forest Fire Management (Course Code: 01306532). Conducted entirely online and worth 3 academic credits, the course is part of the Graduate Study for Potential Professionals (GSPP) program and will be held from 14 July to 1 August 2025, from 14:00–17:00 (GMT+7, Thailand time).
Rome, 18 June 2025 – Forest and land fires are no longer just local or regional issues—they have evolved into global threats that undermine biodiversity, accelerate climate change, and disrupt food security across continents. Against this backdrop, the first-ever Plenary of the Global Fire Management Hub, held from 10 to 12 June 2025 at FAO Headquarters in Rome, stood as a critical moment for international collaboration in Integrated Fire Management (IFM).
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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
Author: Robi Deslia Waldi (RDW)
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).
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.
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.
November 19, 2024 – Siem Reap, Cambodia
Addressing the urgent need for regional collaboration on forest fire management, Prof. Bambang Hero Saharjo, a leading expert in forest and environmental fire science from IPB University, delivered a powerful keynote speech at the Mekong-Korea Forest Fire Symposium (MKKF) 2024 held at the Sokha Siem Reap Palace Hotel, Cambodia.
Photo: group photo (Copyright: Committee)
Bogor, August 5, 2024 – In a strong demonstration of international cooperation, IPB University and the French Embassy in Indonesia convened the 2nd International Fire Conference, bringing together experts and delegates from Malaysia, France, Brunei Darussalam, South Korea, and Thailand. The event served as a vital platform to strengthen global commitment in reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by forest and land fires (Karhutla).
August 6, 2024
Forest fires and the resulting haze have become recurring environmental disasters in Southeast Asia, prompting international concern and action. These challenges have led to the formation of dedicated forums by global organizations to address fire management in high-risk regions—Indonesia included.