Military troops fielded to fight forest fires<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Some 300 servicemen were deployed yesterday to
\nfight the spreading fires in the scenic Tabanan regency of Bali.<\/p>\n
Head of the local forestry office Kristanto said the fires,
\nwhich started Sunday afternoon, have razed 240 of the 388
\nhectares of the Bukit (Hill) Pohen protected forests in the
\nBaturiti sub-district.<\/p>\n
Armed with saws, axes and scythes, the Armed Forces members
\nare having trouble extinguishing the blaze because of strong
\nwinds and difficult terrain.<\/p>\n
"They have to work very hard," Kristanto, who is coordinating
\nthe deployment together with the local military command, told the
\nAntara news agency in Denpasar yesterday.<\/p>\n
He also said that some 2,000 local people who volunteered to
\nhelp contain the spreading fires had been told to stay back.
\n"They are not experienced in facing the difficult conditions,"
\nKristanto said.<\/p>\n
The fire, which is not far from the famous tourist site Lake
\nBeratan, is the second to have razed the area since 1916.<\/p>\n
Kristanto said it is possible the thousands of trees in the
\nprotected forest will survive and thrive once the rains begin.<\/p>\n
"Our office will immediately carry out a reforestation
\nprogram," he promised. "This area will become green again in
\nabout two or three years."<\/p>\n
No official estimate has been issued on the losses incurred.<\/p>\n
The news agency also reported that Baturiti police are
\nquestioning two local people, one of whom is suspected of
\nthrowing a cigarette butt in a dry spot near the forest.<\/p>\n
Bali Governor Ida Bagus Oka said the authorities would wait
\nuntil today to see whether the fires could be contained. "If not,
\nwe will ask for more help from ABRI and the local rescue agency,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Other fire<\/p>\n
Antara said that while the authorities and the servicemen were
\nstill continuing their efforts to bring the forest fires in Bukit
\nPohen under control, another fire took place in the Gunung Agung
\nforest.<\/p>\n
At least three sub-districts, the Kubu, Abang and Rendang, are
\nreported to be on fire.<\/p>\n
Kristanto, however, said only a small area is on fire. "We'll
\nkeep on monitoring the forested areas in Gunung Agung," he said.<\/p>\n
Over the last several months Indonesia has literally had one
\ndisaster after another with forest fires.<\/p>\n
The widespread forest fires in Kalimantan have shrouded many
\nparts of the island in smoke and virtually paralyzed air
\ntransportation in major cities in the four Kalimantan centers.<\/p>\n
Neighboring Malaysia has complained about smoke blown over
\nfrom the forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra. In Singapore,
\nthe smoke has posed health problems. (swe)<\/p>",
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