IMPLEMENTATION OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
IN PREVENTING FOREST FIRES IN INDONESIA

Introduction Indonesia is a republic country, with Jakarta as capital city, and Indonesia one of the country in South East Asia which crossed by equator line, located between 2 continents (Asia and Australia) and between 2 oceans (Pacific and Indian oceans). Furthermore, Indonesia also the largest archipelago in the world, which consist of 13466 islands, where Java, Sumatera, Kalimantan (Borneo), Sulawesi and Papua (Irianjaya) are the big and main island in Indonesia. By having strategic geographical location and condition, Indonesia have very wide forest land even Indonesia known as the country with the largest tropical forest in the world after Brazil and Zaire. There are many function of forests in our life, forest becomes valuable factor to human survival as well as the life of flora and fauna. Forest can absorb carbon dioxide that is harmful for human life and produce oxygen which indispensable to humankind. Just imagine if all our forest destroyed or damaged, where we will get the clean and fresh air ??. Furthermore, forest also as water storage in big volume, rain water that fall to the earth will be stored in the roots of trees, these benefits are felt when rainy season, the forest can be used as flood control and it is also during summer or dry season where many dry land can be streamed. Lately, forest and plantation fires become major issue in Indonesia and government announce it as national disaster. Forest and plantation fires occur every year in Indonesia, particularly during long dry or summer season between April to October. Forest fire are uncontrolled process of burning forest, it can happen cause of human factor and naturally cause. Impact of damage was felt widely in the form of smoke pollution disaster and global warming. Uncontrolled forest fires can occur intentionally and unintentionally, in the past burning forest is a practical method to clear the land and in the early stage this practiced by traditional cultivator or shifting cultivators, however, this practical method was implied by plantation companies regardless of its negative effect to the earth and human life. In addition this method is low cost method to clear the land. Before 2010, most fires of forest and plantation occur in Sumatera, Kalimantan (Borneo) islands and only small portion happen in others island such as Java, Sulawesi and Papua. In 2015, most of forest and plantation fire happen in all island in Indonesia.
Smoke or air pollution is the direct impact perceived by community globally, not only Indonesia, even the neighboring country (Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei) affected to this situation. Moreover, forest and plantation fires affected the country in large scale of economy, many airport had to be closed due to limited visibility, citizen affected by respiratory disorders. At the end of 20th century the world has shocked by the catastrophic forest fires. In 1997-1998 when el nino disaster struck, our planet lost 25 million hectares of forest cause of fires and Indonesia become the most extensive forest loss suffered, approximately 9,7 million hectares of Indonesia’s forest burned.

Problem statement Forest is very important ecosystems that exist in this world, as natural resources where many organisms depend on it sustainability and it authenticity. Forest preservation generally means maintaining the continuity life of a wide variety flora and fauna and even more for human life itself. Today, we realize forest fires occur around the world especially in the country with the largest topical forest area, such as Indonesia. Forest fires have become new natural disaster toward human life and it occurs annually in Indonesia. Forest fire happen unintentionally (natural fire) and intentionally cause of human greed. They exploit forest for the personal or organizational interest regardless to the impact of it action. Exploitation of forest should be in the right and legal way which regard the survival of organism and better world. Based on annual experience, actually Indonesia government and people have enough knowledge in preventing and combating forest fires, in addition various studies also has been conducted toward forest fires. Government awareness in implementing knowledge management in preventing and combating forest fires become major factor of success in preserving forest. Thereafter, strict law enforcement related to forest fires should be implemented to support the knowledge management process and implementation.

Purpose of statement To provide additional information about the problem, causes and impacts of forest fires toward human life, environmental and ecosystem that can be implemented as knowledge management in preventing and combating forest fires in the future.

Research question 1. What are the main factors of forest and plantation fires in Indonesia 2. What are the barriers and challenges in preventing and combating forest fires

Literature review According to Ministerial decree of forestry no. 195 / Kpts-II / 1996, forest fires state as condition where the forest stricken by fire causing damage to forests and its products and generate economic and environmental losses. Forest fires one of the effects in increasing levels of pressure on forest resources. Furthermore, forest and plantation fires in Indonesia occur almost every year although the frequency, intensity, and its area are different. Forest fires are disparate with land/plantation fires. Forest fires are fires in forest areas, while land or plantation fires are fires that occurred outside of the forest. Forest fire occur both intentionally and unintentionally. In other words, land and forest fires cause by human factor in several activities, such as shifting cultivation, plantation, forest plantation industry (HTI), and preparation of farm land and so on. Davis (1959), mentioned that fire can ignite and it takes three main points, fuel, heat and oxygen (air), where all these three components are known as the fire triangle. Light as the main cause of fire is a chemical process that takes place between the material fuel, heat and air (oxygen), where fire happen only when fuel temperature reach combustion point. According to Purbowoseso (2000), land and forest fires can be divided into 3 categories based on its aspects; 1. Ground fire
Ground fire usually occurs in the peat forests, or the type of soil that contains minerals material such as coal. This occurs because the presence of organic flammable material under litter layer, the fire is spreading below ground level not in the surface of land and rise to the upper ground as smoke, so it is very difficult to detect and extinguish. Ground fire is not affected by the wind, than these fires are generally round shape. 2. Surface fire
The fire occurred at ground level, where the fire burns litter, shrubs and tree saplings but not up to burn the tree trunk, unfortunately, when the wind was blowing, the fire can spread to the upper surface causing fire on tree trunk. Surface fire is affected by the wind, so the fire is elliptical. 3. Crown fire
This type of fire is a fire that occurred in the treetops. Fire originated from the litter, than spread to the tree trunk. In dry condition fire could jump to the tree trunk, fire will emanate from fire area to another area when the wind was blowing hardly. These fires cause large-scale fires, so difficult to extinguish.
There are two factors of forest fires, are natural and human factor (ministry of forest, 1992). They are very limited portion that fire happen cause of natural, human factors are the main and root factor of forest fires directly or indirectly (Nicholas, 2002). Applegate, G. in CIFOR (2001), states that there are differences in understanding the underlying causes of the fire. For example, forestry department the shifting cultivators as a cause of forest fires in Indonesia, on the other hand, the environmentalists said that the fires were the result of poor forest management, where environmental organizations blame the logging companies and plantations.

Discussion
Forest Fire in Indonesia Forest is a natural resource that is extraordinary valuable and it contains biodiversity as a source of germ plasma, timber and non-timber sources, water regulating management, flood control, erosion and soil fertility, biological nature protection for the sake of science, culture, recreation, tourism and so on. Based on the utility of the forests, its protection has been set in the constitution 45, Law 5 In 1990, Law No. 41tahun 1999, Law No. 32 of 2009, Regulation No. 28 in 1985, ministerial decree of the Minister Forestry, also several decisions General Director of PHPA (Perlindungan Hutan dan Pelestarian Alam / Forest protection and nature conservation) and General Director of Forest Utilization. But the disruption of forest resources continues even increasing in intensity. Moreover, forest fire is one form of the disaster and it occurs more frequently. Forest fires causing negative impact in large dimension of life, and it include ecological damage, decline in biodiversity, declining in the economic value of forest and soil productivity, changes in micro and global climate, and the smoke interfere public health also disrupting land, river, lake, sea and air transport. Smoke disasters due to forest fires Indonesia lately have crossed borders. Various prevention and forest fire protection has been carried out, including streamlining legal instruments (laws, government regulations, and the decree of the Minister), but has not yet provide optimal results. Since wildfires sizeable 1982-1983 in Kalimantan (Borneo), intensity of forest fires spreading increasingly. Noted few big fires happen after the wildfires, such as in 1987, 1991, 1994, 1997-1998, 2006 and also this year (2015). Therefore, it is necessary in-depth assessment to prevent and combat forest fires.

Factors of forest fires Fire is a tool or early technology humans learn to change the environment and natural resources, started in the mid to late Paleolithic era, 1400000-700000 year ago. Since humans know and master the technology of the fire, the fire considered as the basis for the development of human capital because it can be used to clear forests, improve the quality of grazing land, hunting and repel wildlife, social communication and so on.
Charcoal analysis from Kalimantan land showed that the forest has been on fire regularly, started, since at least 17,500 years ago. The fire likely occurred naturally over a period of drier climate than the current climate. However, humans have been burning forests more than 10 thousand years ago to facilitate hunting and open farmland. Written notes from century ago and oral histories of people living in forest confirmed that forest fires are always occur for Indonesia's forests (Schweithelm, J and D. Glover, 1999). Large forest fires also triggered by the emergence of the El Nino climate phenomena such as fires that occurred in 1987, 1991, 1994 and 1997 (Ministry of Environment and UNDP, 1998). The development of these fires also shows the location of the expansion of the fire not only in Kalimantan, but almost all provinces, and not only in forest areas but also in non-forest land.
Forest fires causes remain the topic of debate among scholar, members of parliament even the government itself, whether due to natural or due to human activity. However, based on some results showed that the main cause of forest fires is the human factor that originated from activities or problems as follows: 1. The traditional and shifting cultivation system of local resident 2. Clearing forest land by concessionaires (forest concession) for timber industry and palm oil plantation 3. Structural cause; a combination of poverty, development policies and governance structure that lead to the conflict between customary law and positive law of the country

The impact of forest fires Forest fires have become international attention lately as an environmental and economic issue, especially after a major fire in various parts of the world in 1997/98 which destroyed 25 million hectares area. Fires in 1997/98 cause forest degradation and deforestation, and it generate economic costs approximately US $ 1.6 to 2.7 billion and around US $ 674-799 million due to haze pollution cost. The losses caused by the forest fires are much greater because estimates of economic impact to the business activities in Indonesia are not available. Valuation costs related to carbon emissions reach US $ 2.8 billion (Tacconi, 2003). Fires disaster have a significant impact on biodiversity. Burning forests would be difficult to rectify, because the soil structure damage. The loss of vegetation caused open land, and it prone to erosion, and can no longer hold back the flood. Hence after burning forest, floods occur frequently during the rainy season in many regions where forests are burned. Finally there are several barriers and challenges that faced by government agencies and environmental organizations in preventing and combating forest fire; a. Unreachable fires location b. Limited finance and facilities budget c. Lack of expertise d. Existence of certain parties that inhibit the preventing and combating forest fires

Recommendation and Conclusion
Forest and land fires in large scale is the causes of forest and environment degradation and it create damage and loss both on the economic, ecological, and social, also can be considered as a potential threat to sustainable development, because the direct effects on the ecosystem contribution in increasing level of emissions carbon and its impacts on biodiversity, and also for human health.
The root cause of forest and land fires in Indonesia comes from forest management policies, weak regulatory and enforcement of existing rules and also mechanisms of the system / institutions that responsible for land and forest fires.
That fire cannot be completely removed from the forest ecosystem, some types of forest vegetation is a fire climax. Reduction of the risk forest fires can be reached by considering the local wisdom of traditional community foresters that used fire in forestry practices known as the fire management in the form of Swalling and Prescribe Burning.

References

ADB and BAPPENAS (1999). Causes, extent, impact and costs of 1997/98 fires and drought. Final report, Annex 1 and 2. Planning for fire prevention and drought management project. Asian Development Bank TA 2999-INO. Fortech, Pusat Pengembangan Agribisnis, Margueles Pöyry, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Barber, C.V. & Schweithelm, J. (2000). Trial by fire. Forest fires and forestry policy in Indonesia's era of crisis and reform. World Resources Institute (WRI), Forest Frontiers Initiative. In collaboration with WWF-Indonesia and Telapak Indonesia Foundation, Washington D.C, USA.

Tacconi, T., 2003. Kebakaran Hutan di Indonesia, Penyebab, biaya dan implikasi kebijakan. Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia. 22 hal. http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/Publiction/occasional paper no 38 (i)/html

Boer C. 2002. Forest fire suppression in East Kalimantan Indonesia. include: Moore P, Ganz D, Tan L.C, Enters T, Durst P.B, editor. Prosidings of an International Conference on Community Involvement in Fire Management. Bangkok, Desember 2000. Bangkok: FAO. Hlm 69 – 74.

Nicolas, M.V.J, Anugriansyah, M, and Budi,S.E. 2002. Pengelolaan Kebakaran Hutan Berbasis Massyarakat. European Commission. Indonesia Forest Programme.

Purbowaseso, Bambang. 2000. Pengendalian Kebakaran Hutan. Fakultas Kehutanan Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Banjarbaru.

Mata Najwa; Melawan asap (against smoke) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_LQcxveMkk

http://news.okezone.com/read/2015/09/19/519/1217316/hutan-di-indonesia-tersisa-82-juta-hektar http://nasional.tempo.co/read/news/2015/10/30/078714357/walhi-grup-wilmar-paling-banyak-membakar-hutan www.dephut.go.id