Fire razes 14,000 hectares of forest

Fire razes 14,000 hectares of forest

PEKANBARU, Riau: Fire has razed 14,000 hectares of forest in two
regencies here over the past week, and causing smoke haze
problems.

Due to the haze problem, at least 26 people have been treated
at hospitals after suffering respiratory symptoms, a high ranking
official said on Wednesday.

Wan Abubakar, Riau Deputy Governor, said that the provincial
government had dispatched several groups of firemen to help put
out the fires in the forests in Indragiri Hilir and Bengkalis
regencies. -- JP