Wind, rain help efforts to put out forest fires<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Favorable wind patterns, sporadic rain and
\nrigorous fire fighting efforts have combined to put out forest
\nand bush fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, and clear the haze,
\nofficials said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Things are improving,\" State Minister of Environment Sarwono
\nKusumaatmadja announced as he briefed Indonesian and foreign
\njournalists on what the government has done to deal with the
\ncatastrophe.<\/p>\n
The latest satellite images show far fewer \"hotspots\" --
\nusually indications of where fires are -- in both Sumatra and
\nKalimantan compared to mid-September, Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
\"There are strong indications that we have been successful in
\nputting out the fires,\" he said, adding that this vindicated his
\nargument that the fires should have been fought from the ground.<\/p>\n
Sarwono was one of seven cabinet ministers taking part in the
\njoint briefing at the Ministry of Information, the first of its
\nkind since the haze problem started in August.<\/p>\n
The other six ministers were R. Hartono (information),
\nDjamaludin Suryohadikusumo (forestry), Sjarifudin Baharsjah
\n(agriculture), Siswono Yudohusodo (transmigration), Haryanto
\nDhanutirto (transportation) and Radinal Moochtar (public works).<\/p>\n
Djamaludin and Sjarifudin confirmed that most fires in forests
\nand plantations had been brought under control.<\/p>\n
The government, while blaming plantation and timber companies
\nand small farmers for deliberately starting fires to clear land,
\nsaid the freak weather that had set in the Pacific, known as El
\nNino (Spanish for \"The Boy\"), had triggered what is now
\nofficially called a national calamity.<\/p>\n
The haze has disrupted the lives of millions in Sumatra and
\nKalimantan, and in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore these past
\nfew weeks.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has been fighting the fires with international help,
\nincluding Malaysian firefighters and foreign volunteers, as well
\nas donations in cash and equipment and technical assistance.<\/p>\n
\"This is an international effort in which we have a
\nsubstantial share,\" Sarwono said.<\/p>\n
\"Of course we thank our partners for helping us out.\"<\/p>\n
Sri Diharto, chief of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency,
\nsaid that rain was still sporadic and not widespread enough, with
\nthe northern part of Kalimantan and western coast of Sumatra
\nenjoying the most rain.<\/p>\n
\"The real rainy season for most areas won't come until
\nNovember,\" Sri Diharto said.<\/p>\n
The number of hotspots has fallen substantially.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, they will all be cleared by mid-November,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The satellite images showed hotspots in Malaysia and Borneo,
\nand the haze from forest fires there blowing to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Forest fires in Papua New Guinea had also caused haze in Irian
\nJaya recently, he said.<\/p>\n
Haze from Indonesian fires has been declining in intensity,
\nand because of the trade wind, most is blown over the Indian
\nOcean or Java Sea.<\/p>\n
\"We're no longer exporting haze to our neighbors. We're
\ngetting our own haze now, and even actually getting some from our
\nneighbors in Serawak (Malaysia) and Papua New Guinea,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He warned that while most of Indonesia should enjoy plenty of
\nrain by November, Lampung could be the exception.<\/p>\n
\"Lampung will remain dry. This is where BPPT should conduct
\ncloud seeding operations,\" he said, referring to the Agency for
\nthe Assessment and Application of Technology.<\/p>\n
Sarwono called for action to save Lampung.<\/p>\n
\"Volunteers should go to Lampung. We've already talked to the
\nlocal administration.\"<\/p>\n
Sri Diharto said El Nino had wreaked havoc in other parts of
\nthe world, although this had had less publicity than the fires in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
He cited as examples the destruction of coral reefs in the
\nPacific caused by the higher sea temperatures, coastal erosion on
\nthe western coast of northern America, disruption to bird and
\nmarine lives, and spread of related diseases in many parts of the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
A brief spate of rain in June had deceived farmers in
\nIndonesia into thinking that the rainy season had come, and many
\nstarted clearing land and setting fires as they had done in the
\npast.<\/p>\n
And then the drought reached its peak, he said.<\/p>\n
Sarwono said weather forecasts and reports had become
\nindispensable to people's lives now.<\/p>\n
TVRI, the state-run television, now airs its weather report in
\nthe middle of its newscast, instead of the end, he said. (emb)<\/p>\n
Late response -- Page 4<\/p>\n
Djamaludin -- Page 10<\/p>\n
Airlines -- Page 12<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wind-rain-help-efforts-to-put-out-forest-fires-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }