IPB University Professor Budi Indra Setiawan has urged that forest\nand land fire prevention in peat ecosystems be carried out using a\nscience-based approach. He said such efforts need to be comprehensive\nbecause fire risk is influenced by various interrelated technical and\nnon-technical factors.<\/p>\n
According to him, peat fires cannot be explained by a single factor\nalone. Groundwater levels, dry weather, peat moisture levels,\navailability of surface fuel, wind speed, and the presence of ignition\nsources can all increase fire risk.<\/p>\n
\u2018Peat fires are a complex problem. Falling groundwater levels, dry\nweather conditions, reduced peat moisture, abundant surface fuel, wind\nspeed, and the presence of ignition sources can interact with each other\nand increase fire risk,\u2019 Budi said in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He explained that peat which loses moisture becomes increasingly\nflammable. Fire can even spread beneath the surface and persist for long\nperiods, making it difficult to detect and extinguish through\nsurface-level handling alone.<\/p>\n
Therefore, peatland fire prevention needs to begin with maintaining\ngroundwater levels and strengthening water management. Canal and\ncanal-block management, provision of retention basins and water sources,\nmonitoring of peat moisture, and readiness of firefighting equipment are\namong the steps needed in vulnerable areas.<\/p>\n
Budi said a science-based approach also requires a monitoring system\ncapable of providing a rapid picture of field conditions. Weather data,\nhotspots and peat conditions need to be integrated through satellite\nimagery, groundwater level sensors, watchtowers, ground patrols, and the\nuse of drones.<\/p>\n
\u2018Monitoring technology is very helpful, but hotspot data must still\nbe verified directly in the field. Not all hotspots are fires, and not\nall fires can be immediately seen from satellites, especially if the\nfire is beneath the peat surface,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
Budi assessed that monitoring information must be acted upon\nimmediately because small fires are easier to control before they\ndevelop into larger blazes. Early detection and rapid response are\nimportant parts of reducing fire risk, especially during the dry season\nwhen peat is more likely to dry out.<\/p>\n
Prevention efforts cannot rely solely on technical aspects. Human\nbehaviour, land-clearing practices, limited alternatives for non-burning\nland preparation, land tenure issues, tenure conflicts, community\nwelfare levels, and coordination between parties also influence fire\nrisk.<\/p>\n
Fire prevention needs to be accompanied by education, community\neconomic empowerment, provision of non-burning land-clearing technology,\nstrengthening of village institutions, and sustained risk communication.\nSuch an approach is expected to reduce dependence on burning practices\nwhile strengthening community preparedness in vulnerable areas.<\/p>\n
Soil expert Basuki Sumawinata added that handling of each fire\nincident must also be carried out through evidence-based investigation.\nInformation about fire spots within or around a licensed area, according\nto him, is not sufficient to immediately determine the cause,\nperpetrator or motive of a fire.<\/p>\n
\u2018Fire prevention and handling must be based on accountable data and\nverification. Conclusions must not be drawn based on a single piece of\ninformation or simply because a fire was found within a particular\narea,\u2019 Basuki said.<\/p>\n
According to him, investigations need to cover the fire\u2019s point of\norigin, wind direction, soil type, land-use history, vegetation\ncondition, area boundaries, access to the location, patrol records, and\nthe handling steps that have been taken. All this information is\nimportant for distinguishing the location of the fire, the cause of the\nfire, the party that started the fire, and the party responsible for\ncontrolling it.<\/p>\n
Both experts assessed that successful peat fire prevention requires\ncollaboration between the government, businesses, communities,\nacademics, and law enforcement. Prevention must be carried out\nyear-round through water management, early detection, community capacity\nbuilding, rapid response, and accurate, evidence-based public\ncommunication.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/experts-peatland-fire-prevention-must-be-science-based-1787662472", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }