Meteorological Conditions in South East Asia

7 June 1999


The Meteorological Service of Singapore reports on 7 June 1999 for the South East Asian region: "This region has become a bit more cloudier. However some hot spots were still detected over Borneo and Sumatra".

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Fig.1. Regional Surface Winds and Haze/Hot Spot Map, 7 June 1999
(Source: http://www.gov.sg/metsin/hazed.html)

The latest NOAA14 satellite images show hot spot locations in Sumatra and Kalimantan. "Hot spots" can be identified as red dots.

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Fig.2. and 3. Latest NOAA Satellite images of Sumatra and Kalimantan, 6 June 1999
(Source: http://www.gov.sg/metsin/hazed.html)

The ASEAN Fire Weather Information System (ASFWIS) is a co-operation between ASEAN and the Canadian Forest Service. It provides maps describing the current fire weather situation in South East Asia. This system is based upon the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) (for further infomation to the CFFDRS refer to ASFWIS). Studies have shown that the CFFDRS is applicable outside of Canada. Currently it is also used in a modified form in New Zealand (see References). In New Zealand  the Fire Weather Indices Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC) and the Initial Spread Index (ISI) represent the fire danger in the scrublands. The Duff Moisture Code (DMC) is also applicable in South East Asia, because it potentially describes the moisture state of the upper peat layers in peat and peat swamp forests. All three parameters may serve as a suitable indicator of forest fire danger in South East Asia.

According to the ASFWIS for 3 June 1999 these parameters show various fire weather conditions over South East Asia.

FFMC currently not available click here to enlarge (24 KB)

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Fig.4. and 5. ISI and DMC output of the ASFWIS, 6 June 1999 (FFMC for the moment not available).

The Indonesian Meteorological Agency Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika publishs the Indonesia Daily Forecasting for 8 June 1999. For the representative selected areas metereological data are provided as follows:

Palembang Samarinda Ujung Pandang Dili Bandung
Weather condition rain cloudy rain rain rain
Temperature max (°C) 32°C 33°C 32°C 30°C 29°C
Humidity (min-max %) 58-93 60-95 60-93 55-80 55-90

The Forest Fire Prevention and Control Project (FFPCP) in Palembang (Sumatra) provides a new fire overview map on 3 and 4 June 1999.

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Fig.6. Fire Overview Map for 3 and 4 June 1999 of the FFPCP project in Palembang
(source: http://www.mdp.co.id/ffpcp/overview.htm)

The latest fire overview map for the Integrated Forest Fire Management (IFFM) project in Samarinda (East Kalimantan) is shown on 4 June 1999.

Summary: Although the current fire weather conditions do under normal conditions not favour extensive land clearing by fire or escaping wildfires in Indonesia, the consequences of the large wildfires of 1997-98 must been taken into consideration. These fires had caused extensive degradation of primary and secondary forests along with the spreading of "alang-alang" (Imperata cylindrica) grasslands. These grasslands facilitate the spread of uncontrolled fires over large areas.

See also the IFFN Country Notes.


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