In Indonesia, 140 women are fighting devastating wildfires. With motorcycles, water pumps and courage they are protecting villages, forests and their families from the fast-spreading blazes.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
The worst forest fires in more than a decade are raging on the Indonesian island of Borneo, destroying large areas of forest. Thick smoke is darkening the sky and causing severe respiratory problems among residents. In the sparsely populated province of West Kalimantan, 140 women have joined forces to contain the spread of the fires.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
Wildfires are a common occurrence during Indonesia’s dry season. This year, however, the fires have been burning longer than usual. The islands of Borneo and Sumatra are suffering from drought conditions caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon. Since the beginning of the year, about 202,000 hectares of land have burned across Indonesia, an area nearly as large as the Tokyo metropolitan region.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
The volunteer women of the “Power of Mama” firefighting team travel by motorcycle between about ten villages. Wearing red protective gear, these farmers, homemakers and mothers tackle small fires and educate communities about the risks of slash-and-burn farming. While oil palm plantations provide vital income for many farmers, burning land to clear it greatly increases the risk of wildfires.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
“These women felt like the forests are theirs, safeguarding
them with all their heart,” says the project coordinator. The Indonesian environmental organization YIARI founded the group back in 2022 and trained these dedicated women in firefighting.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
Along a riverbank, the women use a portable water pump to contain the fire. But extinguishing the visible flames is only half the battle, explains a 38-year-old farmer and mother of two. Borneo’s parched peat soils are highly flammable. Many fires are still smoldering beneath the surface.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
The women also report the negative impact of heavy smoke on their own families and communities. Respiratory illnesses are widespread. “It took over a year for them to recover,” says a female firefighter, referring to her children’s illness. The members of “The Power of Mama” live in western Borneo, a region that has been particularly hard hit by the wildfires.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
According to government figures, more than 38,000 hectares of land in West Kalimantan have already been destroyed by the fires. The Ministry of Forestry fears that the fires could continue until early November. More than 50 aircraft are involved in the firefighting efforts, dropping water from the air and attempting to induce additional rainfall by chemically treating clouds.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS
The members of the women’s firefighting brigade have witnessed firsthand the damage to local wildlife and ecosystems. They say the birds have practically gone silent because of the fires, while forest areas still recovering from recent blazes are being scorched once again. Nevertheless, the women are devoting all their “strength as mothers” to protecting nature.
Image: Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS8 images1 | 88 imageshttps://p.dw.com/p/5NFRb
