Plantation hotspots detected in West Kalimantan, as forest fires rage again

29.08.2018

Hundreds of fire ‘hotspots’ have been detected inside corporate-run plantations in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan, as land fires cast a pall of smoke across the island once again, according to the NGO Walhi.

The annual debate over blame for the cause of the fires has re-emerged with the smoke in recent weeks, following relatively mild years in 2016 and 2017. The haze of 2015, which had huge environmental, health and economic impacts, prompted President Joko Widodo to announce a raft of measures aimed at preventing fires in carbon-rich peatlands.

Walhi has detected 765 hotspots in plantation boundaries so far this year, according a report in Mongabay.

Walhi executive director Nur Hidayati told Mongabay that the government is blaming smallholders for this year’s fires because its own firefighting efforts so far have been focused on areas close to these villages.

“But [fires on] companies’ concessions that are far from villages are being ignored,” she said.

Walhi has also called on the authorities to take action against companies with fires on their concessions, ahead of pursuing local farmers. This month Ministry of Environment and Forestry sealed off concessions held by five companies in Kubu Raya district, West Kalimantan. It did not identify the companies by name.

More from Blog

The bulldozers were just about to switch off their engines. Now the European Commission wants to re-fuel them

Continue reading
Planned clearance for timber plantation underlines critical importance of EUDR

Continue reading
Under threat / The EU must stand firm to help protect the world’s forests

Continue reading
Sanctions / EU finally bans Belarusian furniture

Continue reading
Revealed / Former Better Cotton employee exposes scheme’s fundamental flaws

Continue reading
Sanctions breached / Evidence of laundering of finished Russian plywood found

Continue reading
Russian Sanctions / US sanctions should cover blood timber

Continue reading
Paraguayan leather / Are Italian tannery’s pledges on deforestation enough?

Continue reading
EU Deforestation Regulation / Success of landmark deforestation law far from assured 

Continue reading
EU Law / MEPs must strengthen planned corporate sustainability due diligence law

Continue reading

Stay up to date with all Earthsight news & updates

Receive email updates for the latest news and insights from Earthsight and be among the first to read our new investigations.

We keep your data secure and don’t share anything with third parties. Read full terms.