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.
May 24, 2023 – Porto, Portugal
IPB University’s Professor Bambang Hero Saharjo stood on the global stage as he represented Indonesia at the 8th International Wildland Fire Conference held recently in Porto, Portugal. Themed “Landscape Fire Governance Framework,” the prestigious conference brought together more than 1,600 participants from 88 countries, united by a shared commitment to tackling wildland fires and their far-reaching impacts.
Indonesia’s delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), the Korea-Indonesia joint forest fire control project, and the Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry and Environment (Fahutan) IPB University, supported by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).
During the conference, Prof. Bambang presented a key research paper titled:
“Enhancing Policy Intervention for Forest Fire Management in Indonesia to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.”
The study aimed to answer a long-standing question: Why do forest and land fire control efforts often fail to produce significant results in certain regions—even when implemented seriously and consistently?
“This research addresses the disconnect between policy, implementation, and results,” explained Prof. Bambang. “Despite many serious efforts, certain areas continue to suffer recurring fires. Understanding these patterns is essential for long-term solutions.”
In addition, Prof. Bambang also presented an e-poster titled:
“Forest and Land Fire Prevention Through Zero-Burning Practices by Rural Communities in Indonesia,”
highlighting how grassroots, no-burn agricultural techniques are playing a vital role in fire prevention strategies across rural Indonesia.
As Director of the Southeast Asia Wildland Fire Network, Prof. Bambang also delivered a situational report on fire occurrences and management efforts across ASEAN countries—including Indonesia. His presentation covered prevention strategies, fire suppression, and post-fire recovery, providing a comprehensive picture of the region’s challenges and progress.
“This conference, held every four years, builds on commitments made at the previous event in Campo Grande, Brazil, in 2019,” said Prof. Bambang, who also serves as Executive Director of the Regional Fire Management Resource Center–Southeast Asia (RFMRC-SEA).
The conference also served as a knowledge-sharing platform among major global institutions such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the European Union (EU), and the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC)—alongside experts from a diverse range of countries, each facing unique fire-related challenges based on their geographic and ecological contexts.
“Events like this are critical,” Prof. Bambang noted. “They connect science with policy and practice, fostering collaboration across nations to solve one of the planet’s most pressing environmental crises—wildland fires.”
Ceremony of handing over the Global Landscape Fire Award 2019, sponsored by the Global Wildland Fire Network to the laureate Dr. Ir. Siti Nurbaya, MSc, Minister for Environment and Forestry, Republic of Indonesia, and Certificates of Distinction for Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Hero Saharjo, M.Agr., IPB University, and Dr. Ir. Raffles B. Panjaitan, MSc, Director of Forest and Land Fire Management, Directorate General of Climate Change, Ministry for Environment and Forestry, Republic of Indonesia; Jakarta, Indonesia.