Rerun of Riau's 1997 fires possible: Official<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The disastrous forest fires of 1997 may return
\nto Riau province without immediate and concerted preventative
\nefforts, an official at the National Space and Aviation Agency
\nwarned on Monday.<\/p>\n
Head of the agency's Environment and Weather Satellites' Earth
\nStation Muchlisin Aries, said satellite imaging read by the U.S.
\nNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over the past few
\ndays, had shown the seriousness of the threat.<\/p>\n
Up to 40 hot spots -- indications of clusters of fires
\nspreading on the ground -- had been recorded in the province, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The number could drop if rain comes,\" Muchlisin said, adding
\nhowever, that affected areas were entering the dry season.<\/p>\n
Head of Riau's provincial Forest and Plantation office,
\nDarminto S., could not be contacted for comment on the extent of
\nefforts being made to contain the fires.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Forestry and Plantation's Director General for
\nForest Protection and Nature Preservation, Abdul Manan Siregar,
\ncould also not be reached.<\/p>\n
Muchlisin said hot spots were also recorded in southern parts
\nof Sumatra, in West and North Sumatra and in South and Central
\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
In 1997, over five million hectares of forest burned in
\nSumatra and Kalimantan. The fires were exacerbated by a prolonged
\ndrought.<\/p>\n
Smog spread to neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, leading to
\nhealth havoc in the region.<\/p>\n
Officials from Malaysia and Indonesia will meet on Thursday in
\nMalaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur for a two-day forum on the
\nregional haze problem, Associated Press reported on Monday.<\/p>\n
Quoting the New Straits Times daily, the news agency said the
\ntalks would focus on how the two Southeast Asian nations could
\npool their resources to combat forest fires in Sumatra.<\/p>\n
A top Malaysian government official was quoted as saying that
\nboth countries did not want a repeat of the thick haze which
\nchoked parts of the region over a year ago.<\/p>\n
\"Our firemen are ready to go at any time should Indonesia
\nrequire our assistance,\" National Disaster Relief Committee
\nChairman Mohamed Rahmat was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
Singaporean experts said last week that forest fires in
\nIndonesia had reached a dangerous level. More than 40 fires were
\nblazing and large smoke plumes were blowing toward Singapore.<\/p>\n
The haze has become an annual problem during the area's dry
\nseason, when plantation companies in Indonesia start fires as a
\ncheap but illegal way to clear land. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rerun-of-riaus-1997-fires-possible-official-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}