DM 10 million to fight fires

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: The government of Germany, through the Integrated Forest Fire Management -- German Agency for Technical Cooperation (IFFM-GTZ), has allocated DM 10 million (US$5.32 million) to help control forest fires in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan from 1994 to 2003.

"The German Development Bank (KFW) has supported the project," IFFM-GTZ team leader Ludwig Schindler said after the third workshop on the IFFM-GTZ project for 2000-2003, held here last Thursday, Antara reported.

The assistance was partly distributed in the form of equipment and training.

"The Indonesian government in return has provided skilled workers, operational funds, and other facilities," Schindler said, adding that more than five million hectares of forests were burned in Kalimantan in 1982 and 1983.

The IFFM-GTZ project has activated 12 fire centers in East Kalimantan to anticipate forest fires amid a long drought projected to last until November, Schindler noted.

Some fire centers have been set up at the Kutai National Park, Bukit Soeharto Park and several forestry offices. (edt)