Under the Forest Fire Management in Asia (FFMA) Initiative, one of the most meaningful outcomes of the 2nd Training of Trainers on Forest Fire Suppression (TOTFFS) in Peatland, which was conducted in Indonesia from 13 to 24 April 2026, has recently been demonstrated through a remarkable example of knowledge dissemination and local capacity building.
Mr. Candra Ariyo Wibowo, a participant of the 2nd TOTFFS in Peatland, successfully conducted an in-house replica training for his colleagues after returning to his institution following the completion of the two-week regional training program.
Mr. Candra currently serves as a Junior Forest Fire Fighter under the Forest Fire Control Center for the Sumatra Region, Directorate General of Law Enforcement, Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia. Building upon the knowledge and practical experience gained during the 2nd TOTFFS in Peatland program, he voluntarily organized a re-training session to share key concepts and operational approaches with colleagues in his office.
During the replica training, Mr. Candra introduced essential topics learned through the 2nd TOTFFS in Peatland program, including Basic Fire Behaviour Analysis, Fire Weather Index, and fire safety principles. More importantly, he went beyond theoretical lectures by recreating and utilizing a Sand Table Model in his office to demonstrate fire behavior analysis and operational response strategies in a practical and interactive manner.
The sand table exercise, inspired by the simulation methodologies introduced during the 2nd TOTFFS in Peatland program, allowed participants to visually understand fire spread patterns, terrain influence, and strategic suppression planning under different forest fire conditions. Through this hands-on approach, Mr. Candra effectively translated scientific concepts into realistic operational learning for his colleagues.
This case represents one of the most exemplary outcomes of the FFMA TOTFFS program. The initiative fundamentally aims not only to deliver regional training, but also to cultivate national-level trainers capable of disseminating knowledge, strengthening institutional capacity, and building sustainable human resource networks for forest fire management across Asia.
By empowering participants to replicate the training within their own institutions, the FFMA Initiative contributes to the long-term strengthening of national forest fire response systems while fostering a transboundary network of forest fire responders across AFoCO Member Countries.
AFoCO expresses its sincere appreciation to Mr. Candra Ariyo Wibowo for his outstanding initiative, dedication, and commitment to strengthening peatland fire management capacity in Indonesia and also extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia for its continuous support and collaboration in advancing regional forest fire management cooperation under the FFMA Initiative.
Submitted by Kiwon Kim, Program Officer, Capacity-Building and Evaluation Team