Fire Prevention and Management

Forest fires are an issue that needs to be prioritized because apart from causing negative impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity, they also put the health and socio-economic conditions of the surrounding communities at risk.

Expert team ehp checking quality control

Monitoring

As a member of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), the Company is committed to implementing palm oil best practices to operate without burning. The Company forms a fire brigade in each plantation. The fire brigade is tasked with monitoring and identifying hotspots due to land burning, or forest and land fires (karhutla) in the Company’s operational areas.

The monitoring was carried out by the fire brigade with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) satellite and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For hot spots that are detected, the fire brigade will verify directly in the field, then follow up with blackouts, making reports in the event of a land fire, and reporting to related parties. To mitigate the occurrence of land fires, the Company conducts socialization to the surrounding communities regarding the prohibition of land clearing by burning.

The following is the number of hotspots monitored during the period of January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024.

    Area
    Number of Hotspots Within Concession
    Number of Hotspots Outside Concession

  • Kalimantan

    515
    184

  • Sumatra

    16
    10

  • Papua

    1
    0

  • Total

    532
    194
    • Source:
    • 1. NASA FIRMS Data VIIRS 375m NOAA-20
    • 2. NASA FIRMS Data MODIS Collection 6 NRT
    • 3. NASA FIRMS Data VIIRS 375m S-NPP
    • 4. Legal Limits Used in Hot Spot Monitoring in 2023
    • 5. All EHP Regions Planted Data

FIRE PREVENTION & MANAGEMENT STEPS

In order to protect and save the affected oil palm area, the following steps are taken to avoid further escalation:

  • All senior executives are directed to site visit, especially Hot Spot areas to make a comprehensive review of fire fighting equipment (pumps and other equipment, vehicles, drones, etc.) on the site and restock if needed.

  • Fire Patrol Teams in all plantations are required to submit incident reports on the same day and update twice daily regarding mitigation measures.

  • All staff and local residents are regularly briefed on potential hazards, as well as appropriate safety management and prevention measures.

  • Reporting must be centralized to the Operations Department and the Sustainability Department at the Head Office. The Sustainability Department ensures that the actions taken are relevant to the mitigations implemented.

  • Mobilize existing drones to affected areas to detect and identify fires and quantify affected areas (if possible).