JakartaPost-Nov 3
Recent rainfall has eased conditions in some of Indonesia’s worst fire-hit areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan, but continuing blazes elsewhere, particularly in Papua, show that the country’s wildfire season remains far from over and requires sustained prevention and control efforts. Data from the Forestry Ministry’s SiPongi monitoring system showed that South Papua recorded 103 high-confidence hot spots on Monday afternoon, the highest provincial tally that day. The province remains under a wildfire emergency status until Nov. 28, even as other fire-prone areas report improving conditions. Recent showers have also reached major fire hot spots, including Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan and Palembang in South Sumatra, bringing local air quality close to acceptable levels. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast moderate rainfall through the first 10 days of November in several regions previously affected by fires, including Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, as well as parts of Papua. However, the distribution and intensity of rainfall remain uncertain, while prolonged dry spells could still expose vulnerable areas to renewed fires. El Niño conditions in the Pacific have contributed to drier weather across Indonesia, worsening conditions for fires in forests and degraded peatlands. The prolonged dry season has coincided with widespread reports of fires linked to deliberate land clearing. Rista Hernandi Virgianto, a doctoral climate researcher at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, said the temporary decline in airborne haze pollutants should not be mistaken for the end of the fire season. “While the rains offer some relief, we must remain vigilant as long as the drought and prolonged dry spells persist,” Rista told The Jakarta Post, Monday. Widespread forest and peatland fires have stretched firefighting operations across the country and caused regional distress as toxic haze drifted into neighboring countries. Amid heightened calls for greater state accountability over the fires, President Prabowo Subianto told a meeting at the State Palace in October that “ultimately only rainfall” could bring the fire season to an end. Read more at:
