Indonesia Tries to Douse Fires That Help Fuel Economy

Indonesia has lagged behind other countries in preserving forest land while expanding its economy. The palm-oil and pulp-and-paper industries employ several million people and reap billions of dollars of annual revenue in a country that struggles with inequality. “The reason fires happen is because people are making a lot of money off of them,” said Louis Verchot, director of environment research at the Bogor-based Center for International Forestry Research.