Jakarta (ANTARA) - Forestry law expert from Al-Azhar University\nIndonesia, Dr Sadino, stated that efforts to mitigate the impact of\nforest and land fires (karhutla) amidst the extreme El Ni\u00f1o phenomenon\nmust be carried out quickly, precisely, and with careful\nconsideration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe handling of forest fires must be conducted carefully and should\nnot immediately generalise that every fire is caused by a specific\ncompany or group. The cause of the fire needs to be proven based on\nfacts on the ground,\u201d Sadino said in a statement in Jakarta on\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
He noted that the involvement of all parties, ranging from the\ngovernment and concession-holding companies to the community, needs to\nbe strengthened.<\/p>\n
Sadino mentioned that El Ni\u00f1o conditions also have the potential to\nmake the impact of fires larger and of longer duration, meaning that\nmanagement requires significant readiness in terms of resources,\nfacilities, and costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking at the El Ni\u00f1o conditions, there is indeed a potential for\nlarger impacts over a longer period. This certainly requires substantial\ncosts, therefore cooperation from all parties is necessary,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Sadino emphasised the importance of tracing the \u2018fire\norigin\u2019 during the fire investigation process. He noted that determining\nthe initial point of a fire can help identify where the fire first\nappeared, but it does not automatically indicate who started the fire or\nwhich party should be held responsible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fire origin might be identifiable via satellite, but factually,\ntracing the actual source of the fire remains difficult,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, the issue becomes more complex because there are\nstill forest and land areas that are \u2018open access\u2019 or not optimally\nguarded. Therefore, the location of the fire, the starting point, the\nsource of the fire, and the responsible party must be distinguished\nduring the investigation process.<\/p>\n
\u201cA fact-based approach is necessary so that forest fire management\ndoes not devolve into mutual accusations between parties,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In facing the extreme El Ni\u00f1o, Sadino believes that collaboration\nmust be the primary approach, especially in efforts to extinguish fires\nand prevent them from spreading. He suggested that the facilities and\ninfrastructure owned by companies could be optimised to assist in fire\nmanagement.<\/p>\n
At the same time, central and local governments can deploy human\nresources and their existing capabilities to support field\noperations.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf necessary, technologies such as weather modification can also be\nused as part of the efforts to face El Ni\u00f1o conditions,\u201d said\nSadino.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the community level, fire-care groups in fire-prone areas also\nneed to be reactivated and actively involved,\u201d he added.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/expert-forest-and-land-fire-mitigation-efforts-must-be-careful-and-precise-1788630847", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }