OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Indonesia: Fires and Haze
24 November 2006


This report is based on information received from the UN 
Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator's Office in Jakarta and on information 
provided by the National Coordinating Board for the Management of 
Disasters (BAKORNAS PB), the Ministry of Forestry, the ASEAN 
Secretariat, and media reports.

I. SITUATION

1. BAKORNAS PB confirmed that the number of hotspots has been 
significantly decreasing in Sumatera and Kalimantan provinces.  The 
Government's integrated fire fighting approach has proven its 
effectiveness through cloud seeding and water bombing by Hercules and 
Russian amphibious fire-fighting planes, and a helicopter. Additionally, 
it has mobilized fire fighters from various departments, including the 
Manggala Agni Fire Brigade, Police and Military personnel, and trained 
people from local communities.

2. As of mid November, the combination of rainfall in Sumatera combined 
with the integrated fire fighting approach, drastically reduced hotspots 
in the area.

3. BAKORNAS PB reiterated that the fire fighting efforts demanded extra 
water bombings and fire fighters considering that the areas under fire 
are peat lands, which are highly flammable.  Cloud seeding, particularly 
in Kalimantan, had successfully stimulated rains and considerably 
reduced the hotspots.

II. NATIONAL RESPONSE

4. BAKORNAS PB, in close coordination with BPPT and the Indonesian Air 
Force, continues cloud seeding, water bombing operations, and land fire 
fighting focussed in Pulang Pisau district, Central Kalimantan, where a 
small number of hotspots remain.

III. INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

5. As the fires and haze in Sumatera and Kalimantan provinces have been 
addressed and no further immediate international assistance has been 
requested, this is the last Situation Report the UN HC/RC Office issues 
on the Fires and Haze situation.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only:
Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officer:
  NYC - Ms. Ah-Young Kim, Direct Tel.  +1-212-963 5131
  GVA - Mr. Magalie Salazar, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 4112

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. +1-212-963 87 40

Field Office: Indonesia
  Mr. Abdul Haq Amiri, Direct Tel. +62 213141308
  Ms. Titi Moektijasih, Direct Tel. +62 213141308

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