'Forest fires have passed peak'

'Forest fires have passed peak'

JAKARTA: The government is not expecting any more forest fires
this year as the fires may have passed the peak period, a senior
official said on Friday.

Director General for Forest Protection and Conservation Koes
Saparjadi said the Singapore Meteorological Center (SMC) had
forecast normal weather for the remaining months of this year.

"Usually we reach the peak of the forest fire season in August
and September. But the trend is now declining from 6,210 hot
spots in June to 940 this month," he told a press conference.

However, he said, the ministry official would remain on alert
in case of unexpected forest fires.

Koes also said the ministry would encourage the use of
elephants to help extinguish forest fires.

He also said that the ministry would increase its forest fires
task force from five to 18. --JP