38,665 Hectares of Conservation Forest Burned in 2021

Based on data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), the area of forest and land fires (karhutla) in Indonesia's conservation areas reached 38,665 hectares (ha) in 2021. This figure represents a 76% increase from 21,968 ha in 2020.

The area of karhutla in conservation areas in 2021 was significantly smaller compared to 2015. In 2015, karhutla in conservation areas reached 459,278 ha.

Karhutla in conservation areas decreased for two consecutive years, reaching 35,994 ha in 2017. In the following two years, karhutla increased to 227,666 ha in 2019 and decreased again in 2020.

Cumulatively, from 2015 to 2021, karhutla in conservation areas reached 973,357 ha. These fires caused various harms to humans, including acute respiratory infections (ARI), disruption of community activities and mobility, and other impacts.

KLHK recorded that karhutla in conservation forests tended to occur in scrubland (24%) and savanna (19%). During 2021, forest fires in conservation areas occurred in 56 conservation units spread across 18 provinces.

According to KLHK, karhutla in conservation areas are caused by human activities, such as land clearing, illegal logging, and others. Additionally, karhutla is also caused by natural conditions such as the dry season, peat ground fires, and lightning strikes, as well as the suboptimal implementation of the Early Warning System and fire-free land preparation technology.