JAKARTA – Indonesia will likely have fewer land and forest fires this year because the dry season will be wetter in most parts of the country compared with last year, the head of Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said on Thursday (Aug 13).
Category: SOUTHEAST ASIA
ASEAN cooperation to address transboundary haze amid pandemic
By: Kung Phoak | July 20th, 2020
ASEAN – Forest fires are a major source of transboundary haze in the ASEAN region. It is particularly pronounced in the dry season during the first half of the year for the Mekong subregion and second half of the year, most notably from July to September, for the southern ASEAN region.
Chiang Mai chokes as fires rage in the north of Thailand
Northern Thailand is choking under a toxic shroud and it’s not getting any better. Air pollution across the upper North remains “at critical levels,” in many areas, including some of the main population centres. Authorities are monitoring almost 400 active hotspots in Chiang Mai alone yesterday.
Bad air worsens plight
By: Panumate Tanraksa | March 29, 2020 | newspaper section: News
Toxic haze has reached a dangerous tipping point in Chiang Mai province
The bushfires that have been raging near the tourist city of Chiang Mai over the past few days are heightening concerns for both residents and the authorities with the risk they pose of extreme air pollution, coming on top of worries about the coronavirus.
Sun bear cub saved from forest fire
By: Saichol Srinuanchan | March 10, 2020
RATCHABURI: A sun bear cub has been saved from a forest fire in Chalerm Phrakiat Thai Prajan National Park in Ban Kha district, and is now in the care of a wildlife assistance centre.
Helicopters sent to help combat forest fires in Thailand’s Nakhon Nayok
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation deployed helicopters to contain the fires in Khao Falami by using water from Huai Prue Reservoir in Nakhon Nayok
Bangkok (NNT/VNA) – Forest fires continue to ravage Thailand’s central province of Nakhon Nayok, particularly Khao Falami in Khao Phra subdistrict, which is near Khao Yai National Park. Officers have rushed to extinguish the fires and prevent them from spreading into Khao Yai National Park. However, fires have now been detected in some areas of the national park.
Fires continue devouring Thailand’s North
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Despite prohibitions on agricultural burning, wildfires continued ravaging forests across Thailand yesterday, especially in the North. Satellite images charting the progress of large fires yesterday morning showed the number of hotspots in the north had risen from 823 on Friday to 1,334. A total of 3,238 forest fires were recorded nationwide.
Ten million riel reward for forest arsonists
The Phnom Penh Post | Khouth Sophak Chakrya | 24 January 2020
The Siem Reap provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said it will offer a 10 million riel ($2,500) reward to those who provide information regarding the suspects responsible for setting ablaze more than 20ha of kranhuong timber forest land in Banteay Srei district.
Department director Tea Kimsoth told The Post on Thursday that more than 20ha of kranhuong timber forest were secretly set on fire on Tuesday evening to lay illegal ownership of the land.
“Our specialist, as well as local authorities and residents in the communities, had been working to protect this forest since 2012. But offenders had burned the land in a blink of an eye.
“I will reward 10 million riel to anyone who can point us to the suspects,” he said.
Banteay Srei district deputy police chief Ros Sisovanna told The Post on Thursday that last year, more than 200ha of the kranhuong forests were completely cleared through burning. However, the culprits responsible had not yet been identified.
“In the case of this forest fire, we suspect that villagers who have houses and agricultural land near the area burned it secretly so that they could encroach on it.
“They must have wanted to expand their agricultural land, but we still have no evidence to present against them,” he said.
Seng Lorn, the chief of the Forestry Administration in the commune who led the operation to extinguish the fire on Tuesday, told The Post that authorities could not immediately gain access to the land due to the lack of roads in the area.
“We spent more than three hours to put out the flames. Because of the hot weather and the shortage in water supply, we don’t expect the burned kranhuong trees to recover until the rainy season,” he said.
Provincial Forestry Administration chief Mong Bunlim said the kranhuong timber forest area in the district covered 2,800ha, adding that the unprecedented fire was caused by people.
“Article 97 of the Forestry Law says that any person guilty of starting forest fires on purpose and without authorisation will face five to 10 years imprisonment,” he said.
Bunlim said the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries would gather residents and relevant departments at the beginning of the rainy season to replant kranhuong trees, which, in turn, would restore the forest.
Link: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ten-million-riel-reward-forest-arsonists
Khao Yai bushfires extinguished
Bangkok Post | 14 Jan 2020
NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Forest fires which have been burning in parts of Khao Yai National Park since early this month are reported to have been finally put out.
The bushfires were first reported on Jan 5 by national park officials in Khao Siad-a, Khao Ang Hin and Khao Nok Yung forest reserves near Ban Nong Yang in tambon Phayayen of Pak Chong district. They were believed to have started about five days previously.
Crews from several stations in the national park were mobilised to combat the blazes.
The last flames were extinguished about noon on Monday, according to a local media report.
An investigation is underway into the cause of the fires.
Link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1835439/khao-yai-bushfires-extinguished
State governments, local authorities, land owners told to prevent forest fire
Malaymail | Tuesday, 14 Jan 2020
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14 — State governments, local authorities and land owners are advised to take appropriate measures to prevent forest fire.
Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry (KATS), in a statement, said they should also take steps to prevent irresponsible quarters from trespassing into their property, such as landfills, forest areas, plantations, farms, as well as agriculture and industrial areas to carry out open burning.
“Due to the dry weather condition that is expected in the peninsula, all quarters are also advised not to carry out open burning or to allow their land or premises to be encroached upon resulting in open burning accidentally or for a certain reason,” it said.
It said the ministry, through the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department, is always aware of forest fires, especially if they occurred in the Permanent Forest Reserve area.
Several preventive and control measures against forest fire in the peninsula have been taken, including with the collaboration of the Malaysian Space Agency (MySA) and the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) to obtain updates on hot spot and fire risk areas.
The Forestry Department is also working with the Department of Minerals and Geoscience to build tube wells and “check dams” in areas with risks of catching forest fire.
To date, 85 tubes have been built in the peninsula, it said, adding that monitoring towers were also built in areas with potential to catch forest fire and fire-fighting equipment ready for use in forest fire fighting operations.
According to KATS, the forest fire in Australia should make all quarters realise the need to take appropriate action in improving environmental protection and addressing the growing threats to the ecosystem due to climate change.
Among the impact of forest fires on the environment are destruction to natural habitat, haze phenomena, health problems and loss of the forest biological diversity, it said. — Bernama