Forest fires destroy 300,000 hectares this year<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Fires in this year's dry season have destroyed
\n300,000 hectares of forest in Kalimantan and Sumatra, State
\nMinister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said here Saturday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to The Jakarta Post during his visit to the Sultan
\nAgung Islamic University, Sarwono warned the situation must not
\nbe treated lightly as the impact has been immense.<\/p>\n
He conceded the fires were difficult to control as they have
\nbeen worsened by strong winds. He said if the situation allowed,
\nthe government would use cloud seeding to slow the spread of the
\nfires.<\/p>\n
Sarwono called on every party to be "proactive" in helping
\naddress the problem. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
He said the fires, despite being sporadic, could have a
\ndevastating impact on many sectors.<\/p>\n
He said neighboring countries like Malaysia and Singapore --
\nwhich have had to endure a smoky haze that hampered visibility
\nand flights -- have agreed to cooperate with Indonesia in finding
\nways to cope with the problem.<\/p>\n
Fires devastated 161,000 hectares of land last year, while
\nabout 3,000 hectares were destroyed in 1994 and 1995. The worst
\nforest fires in Indonesia was in 1982 when three million hectares
\nof land was destroyed.<\/p>\n
Sarwono and many climatologists have warned that this year's
\ndry season could last well into late this year and the eminent
\nthreat of drought across the country should be handled seriously.<\/p>\n
Experts attributed this year's prolonged drought to El Nino,
\nan abnormal tropical Pacific Ocean weather pattern, which they
\nbelieved could become the "climate event of the century" and
\nsurpass its devastating 1982-1983 episode.<\/p>\n
El Nino<\/p>\n
The El Nino had also been blamed for flash floods in some
\nregions in Asia.<\/p>\n
Reuters quoted a senior meteorologist last week as saying the
\nlong drought had prompted Indonesia to plan cloud seeding to
\nreduce the impact of drought on food crops.<\/p>\n
"It is not certain if the drought will end by October," said
\nPaulus Agus Winarso, head of the Meteorology and Geophysics
\nAgency's forecast section.<\/p>\n
"We will be carrying out cloud seeding in certain areas," he
\nsaid, but would not elaborate on the target areas or when the
\ncloud seeding would begin.<\/p>\n
"We also forecast rain in some parts by the end of September
\nand in October and in most other parts from November," he said.<\/p>\n
Production of key export crops such as coffee and cocoa and
\nother items such as corn are expected to suffer if the drought is
\nprolonged.<\/p>\n
The 1982-1983 El Nino episode triggered floods or drought in
\nmore than 15 countries and caused US$13 billion in damage. The
\n1982 forest fires in Indonesia caused US$300 million in damages.<\/p>\n
The result of this year's El Nino global weather pattern may
\nalso worsen the smoky haze affecting parts of Southeast Asia, the
\nSingaporean daily Straits Times reported Saturday.<\/p>\n
Secretary at Singapore's environment ministry, Tan Gee Paw,
\nsaid El Nino could extend this year's dry season in the region.<\/p>\n
"The year is expected to be a very dry year in Indonesia, due
\nto the current El Nino phenomenon, which is expected to be the
\nworst this century," Tan said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono also said Saturday that Indonesia appreciated the
\nSingaporean government's contribution to Indonesia's effort to
\ncope with forest fires by passing satellite images of smoke hot
\nspots.<\/p>\n
Reports of the impact of the current drought had been pouring
\nin from many parts of the country. Among the latests were those
\non damaged crops in West Sumatra, Central and West Java
\nprovinces. In the former two provinces, for instance, some 8,400
\nhectares of paddy fields are in danger to be ruined because
\nrivers and dams have started to dry out. (har\/aan)<\/p>",
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