Category: ASEAN

ASEAN Environment Forest Fire Forestry Global INDONESIA International Regional RFMRC-SEA SOUTHEAST ASIA

Indonesia Mobilizes to Combat Health-Damaging Forest Fires

Indonesia Mobilizes to Combat Health-Damaging Forest Fires

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated on

Jakarta, Indonesia (AP) — Four Indonesian provinces have declared emergencies in anticipation of worsening forest fires that each year spread health-damaging haze across much of Southeast Asia.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said Wednesday that emergency alerts in Riau and South Sumatra provinces on the island of Sumatra and West and Central Kalimantan on Borneo will make it easier to mobilize fire-fighting operations and support from the central government.

The agency said satellites have detected 90 “hotspots” or fires across Indonesia, with the biggest numbers in West and Central Kalimantan. Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan province, has been blanketed in smoke, it said.

Record Indonesian forest fires in 2015 spread haze across a swath of Southeast Asia and, according to a study by Harvard and Columbia universities, hastened 100,000 deaths.

Fires are often started by smallholders and plantation companies to clear land for planting. Many areas of Indonesia are prone to rapid burning because of the draining of swampy peatland forests for pulpwood and palm oil plantations.

Pontianak resident Reinardo Sinaga said rain in the past few days reduced the choking smoke that had affected the city for the previous two weeks.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-21/indonesia-mobilizes-to-combat-health-damaging-forest-fires

ASEAN Forest Fire Forestry MYANMAR Regional RFMRC-SEA SOUTHEAST ASIA

Lack of snow brings fire concerns

Lack of snow brings fire concerns

With half the snowpack average, and nowhere near where it was this time last year, lack of snow has public lands and fire officials nervous.

Lake Tahoe snowmobilers are being asked to ride where there is actually snow.

“This winter has been a challenge for all winter recreation users,” said Tahoe Sierra Snowmobiling Club president, Greg McKay. “Snowmobilers should take extra care to minimize resource damage that low snow conditions present when they recreate and should follow Forest Service guidance.”

Snow is in the forecast for Washington’s Birthday, but accumulations are expected to be light, with even the high Sierra only forecast to see around 4 inches.

Snowmobile operators should avoid bare dirt and patchy snow and should not ride across streams or over small trees or brush, according to the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Operating snowmobiles on too little snow create ruts in the soil and crush vegetation.
ASEAN CAMBODIA Forest Fire Forestry International Regional RFMRC-SEA SOUTHEAST ASIA

Still no action taken on threatening of forest patroller

Still no action taken on threatening of forest patroller

| Publication date 09 February 2018 | 10:54 ICT

Forest patrollers and rights groups are questioning why the Oddar Meanchey Forestry Administration has yet to take action after a soldier transporting illegal timber allegedly beat and threatened to kill a patroller last month.

Patroller Loeut Las and Sorng Rukhavorn community forest chief Venerable Bun Saluth say they have filed complaints with local representatives of the rights groups Adhoc and Licadho in hopes of bringing the suspect to court.

“If I were them, I would not keep the complaint like that,” Las said, adding that he believes the delay is due to the influence of the armed forces. “As far as I know, the suspect is not afraid of anything.”

Community forest patrollers say Regiment 424 soldier Moeng Duong hit Las and threatened to set his family on fire last month after being caught allegedly transporting luxury timber. Forestry Administration officials who were at the scene of the confrontation have confirmed the account.

However, when reached yesterday, provincial Forestry Administration Director I’m Savarith said the agency needed more time to investigate.

“It is like trying to catch a cobra,” Savarith said. “If we make a wrong move, the cobra will bite us dead.”

He declined to say when the investigation would end before hanging up.

Regiment 424 commander Sin Pean could not be reached for comment yesterday, but told The Post earlier this week that he had punished and “educated” Duong.

Saluth and Las sent a report to the provincial Forestry Administration shortly after the incident, which took place on January 28. Srey Naren, a provincial coordinator for Adhoc, said he plans to file a complaint with the court next week in hopes that they can spur action.

Contact author: Phak Seangly

Read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/still-no-action-taken-threatening-forest-patroller

ASEAN INDONESIA Malaysia RFMRC-SEA

Indonesia assures ASEAN neighbours a haze-free 2017

VNA 

 

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Indonesia has assured that there will be no transboundary haze problems plaguing Southeast Asia’s skyline this year, said Indonesian Environment and Forestry Ministry advisor Arief Yuwono.

Speaking at the 19th Technical Working Group and Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution in Kuala Lumpur on May 18, he said that the prediction was based on 2016’s record as the year saw almost zero recurrence of haze.

(more…)