KMP initiated the revival of the RSAs, in anticipation of the dry season in 2016 to improve the prevention of forest and land fires.
“I still clearly remember the amount of haze covering the sky over our village. I couldn’t even see my neighbour’s house across the way,” said Sail, 42, when asked about the forest fires and haze that surrounded Hantipan village in late-2015. Hantipan is a village located outside the Katingan Mentaya Project (KMP) concession area. Sail and a few other villagers, as part of the Fire Response Group (RSA), are now the front line guards in the effort to mitigate forest and land fires in the village. KMP initiated the revival of the RSAs, which previously were not fully operational, in several villages in anticipation of the dry season in 2016 to improve the prevention of, and response to, forest and land fires. KMP works closely with multiple stakeholders such as the military, the police, the local forestry department, and the village government.
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In addition, together with local communities, KMP is facilitating the mapping of fire hazard areas, the construction of baffled channels and boreholes – 120 have been drilled so far - fire patrol schedules, improvements in communications systems, standard operating procedures for villages and specialist training for the RSA teams. The village government supports the activities by funding the construction of observation posts and towers. “The role of the community is essential to the success in preventing forest fires. We need to support KMP’s effort in socialising forest fire prevention and in coordinating the participation of all stakeholders,” said Iswari, Chief Secretary, Hantipan Village.
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​Quote by Sail “When all stakeholders sit together and discuss the solutions to forest fires in our village, this helps our work as RSA and in encouraging the community not to clear land by the use of slash-and-burn methods.”
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