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