'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