{
  "id": 12396312,
  "title": "The Indonesians facing El Nino’s fires have lessons to teach us (commentary)",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/the-indonesians-facing-el-ninos-fires-have-lessons-to-teach-us",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-06T14:17:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mongabay",
    "slug": "mongabay",
    "url": "https://news.mongabay.com/2026/10/the-indonesians-facing-el-ninos-fires-have-lessons-to-teach-us-commentary/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In October 2006, the writer of this commentary was preparing to commence their dissertation research on tropical reforestation in Indonesia. However, their plans were abruptly interrupted when they found themselves in the forests of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, assisting locals in battling fires with rudimentary tools such as brooms, backpack pumps, and hoses connected to hand-dug water wells. This was a critical moment for the local NGO they were working with, Friends of Nature, People and Forests (FNPF), led by Basuki Santoso, the Kalimantan program manager, alongside two teenagers, Adut and Isam.\n\nDuring their initial night of firefighting, the writer found themselves awoken in the middle of the night by a sun bear rummaging through their makeshift kitchen, located approximately 20 feet away. As they observed the wild animal fleeing the fires while the rest of the group slept soundly, they felt a profound sense of surrealness and humility. This experience laid the foundation for the lessons that these Indonesians have learned over the past two decades, lessons that could potentially offer valuable insights to the world today.\n\nThe severe forest and peatland fires that plagued these regions in 2006 were the result of a dangerous combination of El Niño-induced drought, slash-and-burn agriculture, other land-clearing practices, and the subsequent grass-fire cycle. At that time, much of Southeast Asia was enveloped in a haze of smoke, creating a challenging environment for those living in the region.\n\nExperts are warning that we are now facing a Super El Niño, a phenomenon that could exacerbate the already precarious situation in Indonesia. This year's El Niño is expected to be more severe than the one experienced in 2006, raising concerns about the potential for even more devastating fires. The writer emphasizes that history has a tendency to repeat itself and expresses concern over the possibility of such a catastrophic event occurring in the near future.\n\nIn order to combat these fires, the locals have had to rely on resourcefulness, resilience, and fortitude. This unwavering determination in the face of adversity serves as a reminder of the challenges that face both Indonesians and the rest of the world as they grapple with the impending threat of Super El Niño.",
  "summary": "In October 2006, I was supposed to be starting my dissertation research on tropical reforestation in Indonesia. Instead, I found myself in the forests of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan helping locals to fight fires with brooms, backpack pumps, and hoses connected to hand-dug water wells. It was an ‘all hands-on deck’ moment […]",
  "key_points": [
    "Indonesians battled 2006 forest fires with brooms and hand-dug wells",
    "Current El Niño expected to be more severe than 2006",
    "Locals' resilience offers lessons for global Super El Niño threat"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}