In Indonesia, nabbing culprits of haze-linked fires is like catching smoke

Wildfire forensics expert Bambang Hero Saharjo still remembers clearly the land and the forest fires that occurred on PT Bumi Mekar Hijau’s concession land in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra, six years ago. The fires ravaged a 28,000-hectare area.

Bumi Mekar Hijau, a wood supplier for Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) Sinar Mas - a business group owned by tycoon Eka Tjipta Widjaja, who died at the age of 97 early last year - has been sued twice over the matter.

The Indonesian Environment and Forestry Ministry had taken Bumi Mekar Hijau to civil court, while a criminal case was filed following police findings of criminal culpability.

Bambang (below), a forest conservation professor at the IPB University, Bogor, was part of an expert team for both of these suits...