Women Research Institute Blazes Path Towards Fire

In a small village in Riau, Indonesia, community leaders have detected a fire. According to active fires alerts on Global Forest Watch (GFW) Fires, there is one burning on a nearby peatland. With the current wind patterns, the village could soon be shrouded in a thick, toxic smog.

But the alert has given the community chair enough time to act. After verifying the alert with the regional disaster management agency, she relays the information to village residents. With a quick WhatsApp message, the community now knows the location and extent of the burning and can take necessary precautions. Within a few hours, residents have evacuated to a pre-determined “safe space” to wait out the haze.