Forest Fire: Tangkoko

It has been a long time since I wrote my last post (mainly because there was too many distraction). Also, this is the first time I write my post in English, since it might someone out there will read my miserable attempt to keep a blog alive.

Anyway anyhow, as you know, there is forest fire happening in Indonesia. Starting from Sumatra and Borneo, the fire is now burn all over to Papua. The main motive for the forest fire at Sumatra and Borneo is mainly for the purpose of land clearing for palm oil plantation. For other place, there might other cause for the forest fire, but in North Sulawesi where I am working now, mainly the fire happens as accidents, as the burned area is natural reserve that will never cleared for plantation purpose.

Hotspot in Indonesia, from BNPB (Indonesia's Disaster Relief Body)

I am currently doing my Master's project here observing Macaca nigra. As they inhabit forest at Tangkoko, they are also affected by the forest fire. The fire cause the monkey's homerange burned out. There was no monkey casualties for now, as they are smart enough to avoid fire (sometimes they like to watch the fire, but that was for recreational purpose, I think). Several area has been burned out, leaving an empty barren land that once teeming with bushes and scrubs. The smoke from the fire also made us having difficulties breathing...

Barren lands that was previously green. Also the ashes gets to your lungs...

The firefighter, Manggala Agni were and still fighting the forest fire. Lot of people helped them put out the fire, including but not only, Tangkoko Natural Reserve tourist guide, college students outdoor activity organization (Mapala), and many others. But because the ratio of personnel versus hotspot was not proportional, the fires keep moving despite the attempt to put it out. After some time, today the Local Government of North Sulawesi had their hands on a firefighting, water bombing plane.

AT 802, the firefighting plane that will bombing waters at the forest fire (aircair.com.au)

The water bombing will happens for at least five days. Three days will occur on Tangkoko area, so every monkey observation will stop for a moment. The last thing you want is get 3,000 litres of water on your sunburnt forehead.

That's all. I hope every forest fires in Indonesia will successfully extinguished fast. My prayers toward every victim -humans, animals, and plants-, and every person that help the firefighting attempt.

Girian, 26 October 2015