Study finds extensive fire damage on Indonesian plantation concessions

Fires damaged thousands of hectares across Indonesian plantation concessions operated by major listed companies, according to research by Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and Nusantara Atlas. Their joint study recorded 2.88 million hectares affected nationwide between January and October.

The researchers did not determine what ignited the fires. They pointed to risks from degraded peatlands and insufficient fire management on expanding agricultural concessions, alongside financing for deforestation. The study linked the wider damage to intense El Niño conditions, extreme heat and forest clearance for palm oil and pulpwood plantations.

More than 14,600 hectares burnt within the PT Bumi Mekar Hijau pulpwood concession, which supplies Singapore's Asia Pulp & Paper exclusively, the study found. APP said it could not comment on the findings.

Researchers also recorded at least 3,742 hectares affected by fire at the PT Kayung Agro Lestari oil palm concession in West Kalimantan, operated by Singapore-listed First Resources. This included nearly 2,000 hectares of forest designated as having high conservation value. First Resources did not immediately answer Reuters' request for comment, but told RAN it prohibited burning during land clearance and had introduced measures to prevent fires.

At an oil palm concession operated by Bumitama Agri, satellite analysis identified 4,473 hectares affected by fire, with 88 per cent on peatland susceptible to burning. Bumitama did not answer an emailed request for comment. It told RAN that investigations remained under way and it could not yet address specific allegations.

Nusantara Atlas said the area damaged during the first three quarters was 35 per cent greater than in the corresponding period of 2019. The study urged financiers to require credible fire-prevention measures as a condition of funding such operations.