ASEAN is on the brink of the regional wildfire season, which usually peaks in August and September, according to this article by CIFOR. There are concerns that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could boost the incidence and severity of uncontrolled fires, if mobility limitations and stretched resources get in the way of prevention and firefighting efforts. There are also worries that haze could exacerbate coronavirus impacts across the region. Read the full article here on CIFOR.
These concerns echo the findings in the SIIA’s Haze Outlook report, which was cited in the article. According to the SIIA’s report, wildfires in 2020 will be less severe than those in 2019 due to wetter weather conditions in many hotspot areas. However, the disruption caused by the pandemic is negatively impacting the implementation and enforcement of fire prevention and sustainability initiatives.
