CHEAP TO BURN, COSTLY TO BEAR
The Forestry Ministry said it has taken a range of measures, including public education campaigns, regular patrols and working with volunteers and local communities who can act as the authorities’ eyes and ears on the ground.
In fire-prone areas, billboards warn residents of the penalties they could face for starting fires.
Under Indonesian law, those convicted of deliberately starting a fire can face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to 10 billion rupiah (US$558,800), according to the ministry.
Those found responsible for fires caused by negligence can face up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to 500 million rupiah.
But preventing fires remains a formidable challenge.
“The main issue is not simply how tough the regulations are, but how consistently they are enforced and whether viable alternatives are available to communities,” Mahawan Karuniasa, an environmental science expert from the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, told CNA.
The costs can fall on those trying to protect their land.
Sungkono, 30, whose family owns a 6ha oil palm plantation in Ogan Ilir, said there has been “fire after fire” around his area this year.
Some blazes have come close enough to threaten his farmland and home.
Sungkono said he spends millions of rupiah every year cutting back vegetation and digging canals to create barriers against approaching flames.
“But even then, we have to deal with the suffocating smoke and the fires have at times cut off access to and from my plantation,” he said.
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