Cases of forest and land fires dropped significantly over the last three years because of the La Nina weather phenomenon which caused more rainfall. Last year, forest and land fires affected around 20,000 hectares of land, one eighth of what it was in 2019, according to data by BNPB.
However, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said there are signs that the warm weather phenomenon El Nino will be back this year. Models made by the organisation suggest that a positive IOD could also make a return and exacerbate El Nino’s drying effect.
Mr Urip Haryoko, a climatologist at Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said Indonesia could be experiencing a prolonged dry season that could last until March or April of next year.
“The driest period … will be felt in the months of September and October,” Mr Haryoko told CNA, adding that during that time the sun will be its closest to the equator which straddles along Indonesia.
BNPB spokesman Mr Muhari said the country will be particularly prone to forest and land fires during the period.
“We have to be prepared for forest and land fires,” BNPB spokesman, Mr Muhari said.
PREVENTION IS KEY
Speaking to reporters at the sideline of a conference in Singapore on Tuesday, Indonesia’s coordinating minister for maritime and investment affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said the country is preparing “very well” for the possibility of transboundary haze this year.
“We have climate modification technology. This is (so) we can make early rain in order to prepare a pond, so we have enough water to stop a fire,” Mr Luhut said.
“Haze is not really an issue anymore, I believe.”
Source: CNA
