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.

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)

 

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.

(more…)

IPB University Professor Delivers Keynote at International Symposium in Cambodia, Calls for Regional Collaboration on Forest Fires in ASEAN

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.

(more…)

Global Synergy to Combat Forest and Land Fires: IPB University and the French Embassy Host the 2nd International Fire Conference

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).

(more…)

IPB University Launches Southeast Asia’s First High-Tech Fire Training Center for Forest and Peatland Fires

Bogor, June 24, 2024 – IPB University has marked another historic milestone with the official inauguration…

Fahutan IPB University Honors Clean Air Champions for Forest Fire Prevention Efforts

May 17, 2024

In recognition of outstanding efforts in forest and land fire prevention and commitment to creating cleaner air, the Faculty of Forestry and Environment (Fahutan) of IPB University has once again presented the Clean Air Champion Award. This year’s award also reached the national level, highlighting individuals and institutions making significant impacts across Indonesia.

The award ceremony was held at the IPB International Convention Center (IICC) in Bogor and was led by Prof Iskandar Z Siregar (Vice-Rector for Global Connectivity, Collaboration, and Alumni Affairs at IPB University), Prof Naresworo Nugroho (Dean of Fahutan), and Prof Bambang Hero Saharjo (Director of the Regional Fire Management Resource Center – Southeast Asia/RFMRC-SEA).

Based on Decree No. 39/IT3.F4/KP/2024, recipients of the award for the Kalimantan region included:

  1. Akhmad Tamanuruddin (Kelurahan Kalampangan, Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan),

  2. Kamison (Village Forest Management Institution/LPHD, Tuwung),

  3. Sahat Irawan Manik, SH MM (Regional Division II, Kalimantan Fire Management Unit).

For Sumatra, Decree No. 40/IT3.F4/KP/2024 recognized:

  1. Drs H Edward Candra, MH (Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Environmental and Land Office – Individual category),

  2. Yozarwardi UP, SHut, MSi (Head of the West Sumatra Forestry Office – Group category),

  3. Haris Suyanto (Manggala Agni Fire Brigade, Daops Sumatra XVII/OKI).

According to Prof Bambang Hero Saharjo, chair of the selection committee, candidates were assessed using strict criteria, including physical and mental fitness, high dedication, and a sincere work ethic. Most importantly, their working areas must have remained fire-free for at least two years (2022–2023), as verified by satellite data and field checks. In cases where fires occurred in 2022, demonstrable and successful efforts to reduce fire incidents in 2023 were also considered.

Additional indicators included proactive involvement in community training and outreach for community-based fire prevention programs (PLTB), and whether their areas had become references for forest fire control best practices. The selection process also received support from Senior Behavioural Scientists from Influence at Work (UK) Limited, ensuring objectivity and credibility.

The award ceremony was followed by a talk show featuring previous Clean Air Champion Award recipients. The session served as a platform to share experiences and strategies for effective fire prevention. Among the speakers were Muhammad Nur (Head of the West Kalimantan Environmental and Forestry Office), Maimun from Ketapang, West Kalimantan, and Andrean from Manggala Agni Daops Siak, Riau.

Participants and awardees also joined the Pesona Hijau Kampus (Campus Green Enchantment) event, a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) and IPB University. The event was attended by the Minister and Secretary-General of KLHK, as well as university leaders.

During the event, IPB University and Field Indonesia launched a new PM2.5 air quality monitoring application and introduced a Fire Simulator, a product of collaborative research between IPB University and the French government, coordinated by the RFMRC.

Also present at the award ceremony were Dr Raffless Panjaitan (Advisor to the Minister of Environment and Forestry), representatives from the Directorate of Forest and Land Fire Control at KLHK, Field Indonesia, as well as other distinguished guests and award selection committee members.

Thailand detects over 15,000 hotspots in forests and farmlands

Thailand detects over 15,000 hotspots in forests and farmlands

The most hotspots in the North amounted to 2,823 in Mae Hong Son province, followed by 1,971 hotspots in Lampang and 1,665 in Chiang Mai.

The Interior Ministry has detected 15,716 hotspots which cause haze so far this year.

Sutthipong Chulcharoen, permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, said that from Jan 1 to March 20 there were 15,716 hotspots including 6,757 in national forest reserves, 4,594 in conservation forests and 2,172 in farmland.

The most hotspots in the North amounted to 2,823 in Mae Hong Son province, followed by 1,971 hotspots in Lampang and 1,665 in Chiang Mai.

In the corresponding period last year there were 51,536 hotspots. This year’s hotspots dropped by 35,820 or 69.50%.

Mr Sutthipong said the Interior Ministry instructed governors of all provinces, especially those in 17 Northern provinces, to monitor local forest fires, hotspots and haze situations, improve response plans and order organizations concerned to take legal action strictly to limit haze. (TNA)

Link: https://www.pattayamail.com/thailandnews/thailand-detects-over-15000-hotspots-in-forests-and-farmlands-393103

Sustainable forests for combating climate change

Sustainable forests for combating climate change

Reporter: Prisca T V, Mecca Yumna | Editor: Sri Haryati
21 March 2022

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia is ready to embark on a new chapter of life, as the Nusantara Capital City begins its development with the rehabilitation of forests in the area, as said by President Joko Widodo.

During a visit to the Mentawir Nursery, North Penajam Paser District, East Kalimantan, on March 14, 2022, the president said that the rehabilitation was meant to revitalize the forest area around the city to its original function as a tropical forest and not a homogeneous monoculture expanse of vegetation.

Efforts to rehabilitate forests in the new capital will be supported by construction of the Mentawir Nursery that will produce 15-20 million seedlings to be planted in critical lands.

The measure was taken to materialize the concept of a forest city for the new capital, wherein of the 256 thousand hectares of the IKN authority area, around 70 percent is in the form of natural cover and trees.

Not only the new capital city, but other forests in Indonesia were also rehabilitated by the government, through the Environment and Forestry Ministry, in a bid to suppress the rate of deforestation in the country.

Rehabilitation efforts have been one of Indonesia’s focuses in recent years. The focus also extended to peat and mangrove areas.

Establishment of the Peatland Restoration Agency, which is now the Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency, indicated the government’s commitment to restoring and rehabilitating degraded peat and mangrove areas.

The forestry and other land use (FOLU) sector is also in the spotlight when Indonesia targets a net carbon sink in the sector by 2030. It was expected that net zero emissions could be achieved in 2060 or earlier.

In the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) climate target document, Indonesia targets a 29-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 alone. If the global community extended its support, it is expected to reach the 41-percent target of reduction.

Of these targets, FOLU has the largest reduction target of 17.2 percent through individual efforts and 24.1 percent with support from the global community.

The rest came from the energy sector (11 percent and 15.5 percent), waste (0.38 percent and 1.4 percent), agriculture (0.32 percent and 0.13 percent), and industry and product use or IPPU (0. 10 percent and 0.11 percent).

Indonesia’s commitment in the FOLU sector resulted in several achievements, one of which was the reduction of deforestation by 75 percent to 115,460 hectares during the 2019-2020 period.

This figure shows a decrease as compared to the deforestation of 462,460 hectares during the 2018-2019 period.

According to the ministry’s data, the gross deforestation rate during the 2019-2020 period reaches around 119,091 hectares, with reforestation covering an area of 3,631 hectares. Meanwhile, gross deforestation during the 2018-2018 period was recorded at 465,500 hectares and the reforestation area reached three thousand hectares.

The area burned due to forest fires has decreased in recent years. Based on SiPongi data from the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the area burned in 2021 reached 358,867 hectares, or up from 296,942 hectares in 2020.

However, this number shows a drastic decrease from the area burned in 2015 and 2019, which reached 2.6 million hectares and 1.6 million hectares, respectively.

In 2021, vegetative forest and land rehabilitation efforts were also conducted in an area of 203,386 hectares.

It comprises forest rehabilitation in an area of 46,752 hectares and mangrove rehabilitation in an area of 35,881 hectares.

As efforts to rehabilitate the land were made in an area of 67,138.73 hectares, so were the efforts to rehabilitate watersheds spanning an area of 11,709 hectares.

Sustainable forest

Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar stated that Indonesia will continue to move to fulfill its commitments to control climate change without waiting for promises from developed countries. She delivered the statement on the occasion of the 2022 Forester Service Day.

To cement Indonesia’s commitment to achieving the FOLU Net Sink target by 2030, the ministry issued the Decree of the Environment and Forestry Ministry Number 168 of 2022 that contains the 2030 FOLU Net Sink Operational Plan.

The minister stated that after 2030, the FOLU sector was expected to be able to absorb greenhouse gases along with reducing emissions from energy transition activities as well as other sector exploration activities to achieve carbon neutral or net zero emissions by 2060.

Minister Bakar said that the program would apply the principles of sustainable development that include sustainable forest management as well as environmental governance and carbon management.

The main target remains on the efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, she highlighted.

Although it is not easy, Indonesia will continue to employ the principles of sustainability as the basis for environmental development.

This sustainable foundation is also the theme of World Forest Day 2022, which is commemorated every March 21. This year’s theme is “Forests and Sustainable Production and Consumption.”

As quoted from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) website of the United Nations, sustainable forest management is one of the keys to dealing with climate change.

Forests also play an important role in addressing poverty issues and meeting the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Professor Herry Purnomo of the Faculty of Forestry at Bogor Agricultural University opined that public contribution was necessary to encourage sustainable forest management.

One effort that the public can make to contribute to the cause is to use certified forestry products.

The professor deemed it important since by buying certified products, the entrepreneur or forest manager would strive to meet such demands, thereby following the regulations of sustainable forest management.

Some of the certificates for sustainable forest production are the Timber Legality Verification System, or SVLK, issued by the government. SVLK aims to ensure that wood products and their raw materials are obtained from legal sources.

There are also several other certifications, such as global-scope ecolabels issued by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Some products with certifications that can be used by the community were furniture and paper, he pointed out.

To encourage the public to use forest products from sustainable sources, it is necessary to promote the behavior on a national or regional scale. People could start by using certified forestry products in government buildings.

He also called for consistency in the environmental recovery efforts that had been successfully brought up by Indonesia, using the momentum, such as the Indonesian G20 Presidency.

He expected that annually, efforts would be made consistently to decrease deforestation and increase reforestation.

Indonesia currently leads in terms of reducing deforestation, and the global community is mostly focused on various efforts being undertaken in the country.

By consistently pushing for a sustainable system and encouraging environmental recovery, Indonesia can lead by setting an example, backed up by the leadership of the G20 2022, he concluded.

COPYRIGHT © ANTARA 2022

Link: https://en.antaranews.com/news/220985/sustainable-forests-for-combating-climate-change

Illegal burning in Northern Thailand contributes harmful levels of air pollutant PM2.5

Illegal burning in Northern Thailand contributes harmful levels of air pollutant PM2.5

Published on

Illegal burning in more than 135 areas in the northern province Mae Hong Son has contributed to the rise of the air pollutant PM2.5 to levels considered to be harmful to human health. Authorities are also concerned that the poor air quality could also worsen the condition of Covid-19 patients in the area. Today, the air quality in Mae Hong Son reached what IQ Air considers “Very Unhealthy” levels.

Some fires in the north of Thailand are from crop burning where farmers intentionally set fire to fields after harvesting to quickly clear the land and fertilise the soil. The debate on the illegality of crop burning has been a longstanding issue between farmers and the Thai government.

Thai media reports that some officials suspect that some of the fires were caused by illegal gangs smuggling teak wood and burning the stumps to destroy the evidence. The Mueang district chief officer, Pongpeera Choochuen, says those who start the fires in the forest will be arrested and face criminal charges.

A satellite also detected 1,000 hot spots in the province’s preserved forests which are at risk of wildfire. Pongpeera is urging residents in the Mueang district to help monitor the forest. By communities, he says residents should set firebreaks, which are typically strips of bare soil to prevent a fire from spreading. He also asked residents to keep a lookout at who is going in and out of the forest.

SOURCE: Khaosod | Siamrath

Link: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/environment/illegal-burning-in-northern-thailand-contributes-harmful-levels-of-air-pollutant-pm2-5