Indonesian Ministry allocates Rp164 billion for forest fire handling

Antara 19 Aug 11;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Forestry Ministry has allocated funds amounting to Rp164 billion to tackle forest and plantation fires, the ministry`s spokesman said.

Of the total funds, Rp9 billion has been allocated as a deconcentration funds in 33 provincial forestry offices to increase the regional forest fire fighting capability, Masyhud, the Forestry Ministry`s public relations head said in a press statement here on Friday.

During January-July 2011, the number of hotspots in Indonesia 8,082, much lower than 24,767 hotspots in Myanmar, 12,577 hotspots in Cambodia, 11,076 hotspots in Laos, 10,031 hotspots in Thailand, 7,037 hotspots in Vietnam, and 1,102 hotspots in Malaysia during the same period, he said.

The data on the hotspots in ASEAN member countries was obtained from the monitoring by a satellite of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he said.

In Indonesia, hotspots were detected in six provinces which are prone to forest fires - Riau with 2,159 hotspots, West Kalimantan ( 809 hotspots), North Sumatera (600), Central Kalimantan (543), Jambi (455), South Kalimantan (259 hotspots).

Most of the hotspots or 77 percent occurred in agricultural and plantation areas, and 23 percent in forest area mainly ignited by illegal loggers.

In general the fires are man-made. Fire is usually seen as a cheap, easy and rapid way to clear land for agriculture and plantation activities, but it is uncontrolable. Forest and plantation fires occur every year in dry season.(*)

Editor: Heru