A direct update from the field from Simon, CEO and founder of Borneo Nature Foundation International
The last few weeks have been a powerful reminder of both the scale of the challenge we face in Borneo and the determination of the people working tirelessly to protect this incredible landscape.
I recently visited the headquarters of one of our community firefighting teams in the village of Kereng Bangkirai, where I met with team leaders and the village head. They showed me the equipment stores, the oxygen room that has been established for people suffering from smoke inhalation, and the temporary home of our youth club education sessions, currently being held in an air-conditioned room because of the haze and heat.
From there I met our Sebangau Programme Manager Daniel in deep conversation with our dam-building team leaders, Idrus and Bina. They were urgently loading and ferrying more wood to construct more dams, retaining what moisture we can to protect the forest.
I then travelled to the outskirts of Kereng Bangkirai Village bordering the Sebangau Forest, where teams were busy fighting a fast-moving fire, which had already claimed several houses. Fortunately, the teams were able to connect their pumps to a domestic water well and, with the aid of specialist firefighting foam, managed to stop the fire’s advance.
This was a stark reminder of how worrying these times are for the people living here. For families on the edge of the forest, the fire isn’t something happening somewhere in the distance – it can be at their doorstep within minutes.
I later joined our fires coordination team to take supplies and replacement equipment upriver to our staff members in the field, many of whom were there protecting our planting sites.
The journey was long and arduous. In fact, in my thirty years of working here, I have never seen the river levels so low.
Yet the journey also provided constant reminders of exactly why we are fighting so hard.
A troop of monkeys moved through the trees. Brilliant blue kingfishers skimmed the water. A stork flew overhead.
And alongside all that life, we passed mile after mile of burned vegetation along the riverbanks — areas our brave teams have been working to extinguish over the past few weeks.
When we finally reached our field staff, they were incredibly grateful for the food, fuel and new engines we had brought. The immediate area was safe, but a plume of smoke to the north was clearly visible. Boats were moving back and forth along the river, ferrying firefighters in and out, with a new shift replacing those who had already been fighting the fires for over two days.
The journey home was even more challenging. The river was difficult to navigate and one of the boats struck a log, leaving a deep gash in its side.
There was, however, a rare moment of laughter. Our communications staff, Vita and Joan, were soaked to the skin after desperately trying to keep their cameras dry!
It was good to see that, despite everything, spirits remained high.
The long boat journey back gave us plenty of time to talk, and to think about what else we can do.
Can we dam the rivers?
Can we build dedicated firefighting boats with fixed pumps and hoses?
Yes, we can.
We saw several more smouldering fires along the banks that we will need to return to. There is no shortage of work.
We eventually arrived back at the village late in the day. The sun was a bright orange disc through the haze.
Even then, the work wasn’t finished.
I left our team in the office, with two new recruits, Putri and Rudi, continuing to coordinate operations late into the evening. They are both very impressive people, and it is hugely encouraging to see the strength of the team growing at a time when it is needed most.
It has been fantastic to see so much support being mobilised from our partners, friends and new donors too.
And importantly, that support is going straight into action.
We are keeping our field teams fed and equipped. We are purchasing satellite internet systems and new thermal drones so they can communicate and coordinate more effectively. We are building new firefighting boats with tanks and pumps designed to make it easier to tackle fires along the riverbanks.
In amongst all these efforts, it is perhaps easy to forget just how remote we are.
We are still deep in Borneo. There is no phone signal. There are no easy access roads. The teams we are supporting are working in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable, often for days at a time.
But they keep going.
And so do we.
If you have donated already, shared our posts and are continuing to stay engaged, thank you. Your support helps us keep our teams safe, equipped and moving forward.
Let’s keep going.
On behalf of everyone at the Borneo Nature Foundation,
Simon
