Indonesia on alert as forest fires escalate in western region

Malaysia Sun

5 days ago

JAKARTA, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities announced that the country's western region is currently on high alert for forest and land fires, with Riau province reporting the highest number of hotspots.
Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said Monday that forest and land fires have been the dominant type of disaster in the Southeast Asian country since early July. Of the 42 disasters recorded so far this month, 33 are forest and land fires.
The fires have spread extensively across Sumatra Island, affecting provinces including Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, West Sumatra, Jambi, and South Sumatra. In Riau, the most vulnerable and currently burning regencies are Kampar, Siak, Bengkalis, and Rokan Hilir, where more than 100 hectares of land have been scorched.
"The hot and dry weather conditions have increased the risk, especially as rainfall has significantly declined across much of Sumatra," said Abdul Muhari, head of the center for data, information, and disaster communication at BNPB, in Jakarta.
Hotspots have also been detected in Central Kalimantan, while fires have been reported at final waste disposal sites in Central Java and East Java.
Separately, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency office in Riau's Pekanbaru city reported that smoke from forest fires in the province has drifted into neighboring Malaysia. Satellite monitoring shows the smoke crossing the Malacca Strait and reaching parts of the Malay Peninsula.
The agency warned that the number of hotspots could continue to rise if the dry conditions persist and the public fails to comply with the ban on land burning.