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Wildfires threaten world's oldest cave art in South Sulawesi
ID🌿 EnvironmentCenter3 days ago

Wildfires threaten world's oldest cave art in South Sulawesi

Wildfires in South Sulawesi's Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park are endangering the world's oldest known cave art, which dates back over 45,000 years. Archaeologists warn that heat from the fires can cause irreversible damage through thermal expansion, micro-cracking, and soot accumulation on the ancient pigments. The cave art depicts prehistoric animals and hand stencils and is part of the Maros-Pangkep region's cultural heritage. Local authorities manage preservation efforts by limiting visitor access to protect the fragile environment. The fires have already expanded significantly, burning over 93 hectares by Thursday. In addition to threatening cultural artifacts, the blazes are destroying native vegetation, biodiversity, and habitats of endemic species. Recent wildfires in other parts of Indonesia, such as Sumatra and Kalimantan, have caused widespread smoke pollution, impacting air quality and prompting cross-border cooperation among Southeast Asian nations.

Wildfires in South Sulawesi are endangering the world's oldest known cave art, located in the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park. Archaeologists warn that the heat and soot from the fires could permanently damage the prehistoric paintings, which depict babirusa wild pigs and hand stencils dating back more than 45,000 years. These artworks are older than Europe’s famous Lascaux cave paintings. Griffith University archaeologist Basran Burhan emphasized that even indirect exposure to high temperatures can alter the cave environment. He noted that thermal expansion and micro-cracking in the limestone trigger peeling of ancient pigments. Thick smoke from the fires forms a layer of soot over the cave art, obscuring the images and their original colors. Local cultural conservation authorities manage preservation efforts by limiting visitor numbers to protect the caves’ fragile microclimates. According to Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park Chief Abdul Rajab, the burned area expanded from 34.74 hectares on Monday to 93.43 hectares by Thursday. Beyond the threat to cultural heritage, the fires are destroying native vegetation, biodiversity, and habitats of protected endemic wildlife across the karst landscape. Recent wildfires in Indonesia, especially in Sumatra and Kalimantan, have burned large areas of forest and peatland, creating dense smoke that has worsened air quality, disrupted transport, and led to school closures. This transboundary haze has affected neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines. Authorities across Southeast Asia are responding with firefighting operations, air quality monitoring, and cross-border cooperation due to concerns over public health, environmental, and economic impacts. In Central Kalimantan, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni outlined three main priorities for tackling fires in Tanjung Puting National Park: firefighting, opening road access, and constructing bore wells. A road-clearing team has already opened approximately 1.8 kilometers of footpath toward Pesalat Shelter to aid the movement of personnel and equipment. Water supply points are being established at multiple locations, with plans to install flexible or portable tanks and bore wells to ensure sufficient water for firefighting operations. Antoni stated that the government, alongside the Indonesian military, national police, Manggala Agni, regional governments, and other stakeholders, is working to contain the fires and safeguard the park. Efforts continue at full capacity, with all available resources mobilized to address the ongoing crisis. The situation underscores the broader challenge of managing wildfires in Indonesia during the dry season, with implications extending far beyond the immediate regions affected.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 2 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

3 reports

Antara News logoAntara NewsState / PublicCenterFactual 80Objective 854 days ago
Wildfires threaten world's oldest cave art in South Sulawesi

Wildfires in South Sulawesi's Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park are endangering the world's oldest known cave art, which dates back over 45,000 years. Archaeologists warn that heat from the fires can cause irreversible damage through thermal expansion, micro-cracking, and soot accumulation on the ancient pigments. The cave art depicts prehistoric animals and hand stencils and is part of the Maros-Pangkep region's cultural heritage. Local authorities manage preservation efforts by limiting visitor access to protect the fragile environment. The fires have already expanded significantly, burning over 93 hectares by Thursday. In addition to threatening cultural artifacts, the blazes are destroying native vegetation, biodiversity, and habitats of endemic species. Recent wildfires in other parts of Indonesia, such as Sumatra and Kalimantan, have caused widespread smoke pollution, impacting air quality and prompting cross-border cooperation among Southeast Asian nations.

Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about the environmental and cultural impacts of wildfires without overtly favoring any particular political stance. It includes warnings from archaeologists and officials, discusses the scale of the fires, and mentions regional responses without biased phras¬

Why factuality (80): The article accurately reports on the threat posed by wildfires to ancient cave art in South Sulawesi, citing expert warnings and providing historical context regarding the age of the artwork. Specific figures such as the area burned (from 34.74 to 93.43 hectares) are included, though they are based

Why objectivity (85): While the article presents the concerns of archaeologists and officials objectively, it uses emotionally charged terms such as 'existential threat' and 'infinitely worse,' which slightly tilt the tone toward alarmism. However, this is justified given the severity of the situation described.

Antara News logoAntara NewsState / PublicCenterFactual 75Objective 903 days ago
Indonesia focuses on 3 tasks to fight fires in Kalimantan Nat'l Park

Indonesia is concentrating its efforts on three key tasks to combat wildfires in Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan. These tasks include direct firefighting operations, creating road access to improve mobility for personnel and equipment, and constructing bore wells to ensure sufficient water supply for suppression efforts. The forestry minister, Raja Juli Antoni, stated that these measures aim to expedite the response and provide necessary logistical support. Teams have already cleared approximately 1.8 kilometers of footpath towards Pesalat Shelter, which is crucial for transporting resources and personnel. Officials are also identifying strategic locations for water storage facilities and bore wells to support ongoing firefighting activities. The government, alongside military and police forces, continues to deploy all available resources to contain the fires and safeguard the national park.

Bias read (Center): The article provides a factual account of the government's actions in responding to wildfires in a national park. It includes quotes from the Forestry Minister outlining the strategy and coordination among various agencies. There is no evident ideological framing or biased language; the focus is on捋

Why factuality (75): The article provides specific details about the three main tasks being undertaken by Indonesian authorities to combat fires in Tanjung Puting National Park, including firefighting, road access, and bore well construction. These claims appear consistent with general reporting on wildfire responses an

Why objectivity (90): The article maintains a largely neutral tone, presenting facts and direct quotes from officials without overt bias or emotional language. It avoids taking sides or expressing opinion, focusing instead on describing the actions taken by the government.

The Jakarta Post logoThe Jakarta PostIndependentCenter7 days ago
Damaged and drained, Indonesia's peatlands go up in smoke

The article discusses the issue of damaged and drained peatlands in Indonesia, which are contributing to fires and environmental degradation. Peatlands, when drained for agriculture or logging, become highly flammable and prone to catching fire, often leading to large-scale wildfires. These fires release significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change and affecting air quality across the region. Efforts to restore and protect these ecosystems are critical but face challenges such as land-use policies and economic pressures.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses on environmental issues related to peatland degradation and fires, which are primarily ecological concerns rather than directly political. It does not present a clear ideological slant or favor one political stance over another. The content emphasizes scientific and environmental

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