Threat of fire in Borneo
When left undisturbed, Borneo’s natural forests are not usually prone to fires. But as forests are opened up by humans, they dry out and are increasingly susceptible to fires. Fire is also still used in Indonesia to convert forest to oil palm and timber plantations. Unplanned or out-of-control fires have destroyed large areas of natural forest. As well as major impacts on biodiversity and human health, fire releases vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, especially from tropical peat lands, contributing significantly to climate change. Forest and peat fires have made Indonesia the world’s third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind the United States and China.
Fire and haze produce many adverse effects ranging from impacts on human health, short and long-term medical treatment costs, losses in tourism and forfeited timber revenue. The ability of forests to regenerate following large fires is greatly weakened.
In the highlands of the Heart of Borneo, the risks of fire are still small as few people live in this densely forested area. But with forest clearance progressing in several places in Borneo, the risk of fire is constantly increasing.