Government issues warning about escalating fires

Government issues warning about escalating fires

JAKARTA (JP): Thick haze continued to blanket most parts of
Sumatra and Kalimantan as the government issued another warning
yesterday against escalating brush and forest fires.

Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said yesterday
the latest evaluation by the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency
revealed the possibility that the dry season could last for
another two weeks. He said this should serve as a warning to
people living in fire-prone areas.

"This year's dry season is different from those of previous
years. For the first time ever the dry season deviates (from the
normal pattern)," Sarwono said after a meeting of ministers under
the auspices of the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare
Azwar Anas.

"The extended dry spell may add to the risks already facing
the people," he said.

Indonesia has been hit by a severe drought largely blamed on
the El Nio effect. The drought has contributed to widespread
forest fires mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, and to famine in
some remote areas.

Secretary for the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare
Suyono, who also attended the meeting, said that as of Oct. 15
the death toll in famine-stricken areas in the Irian Jaya
regencies of Jayawijaya, Puncak Jaya and Merauke stood at 461.

The figure given was lower than that calculated by nonofficial
sources such as non-governmental organizations actively helping
distribute relief to areas affected by famine.

Suyono said that the casualties had been recorded from July.

"The people died of water shortages, diarrhea, dehydration and
respiratory problems," he said.

He said 39 tons of rice, mineral water, sugar, salt and
medical supplies had been sent to the affected areas.

The Armed Forces headquarters deployed 12 pilots to help the
delivery of food by Hercules aircraft.

Fires, meanwhile, have caused choking smog over a large part
of Southeast Asia, although the government has said the natural
disaster was easing.

Aggravating haze returned to Pekanbaru, Riau yesterday after
residents just started waking up to blue skies again over the
past week.

Visibility was reduced to only 500 meters yesterday, causing
the closure of Simpang Tiga Airport. A number of flights were
canceled, except a Merpati Nusantara which departed for Jakarta
at 1.30 p.m. amid the smog.

Governor Soeripto, Pekanbaru Mayor Oesman Effendi Apan and the
province's other senior officials were on board the Merpati
flight, Antara reported.

Simpang Tiga was among 13 airports across Sumatra that have
been closed due to limited visibility since Saturday, the
Environment Impact Management Agency said in its release obtained
by The Jakarta Post yesterday.

Padang was one of the worst affected by the haze. With
visibility between 1,000 meters and 2,000 meters, officials
closed the Tabing Airport.

After three months, the haze has yet to ease in Palangkaraya,
Central Kalimantan. Visibility in the province's capital city
slumped to a record five meters -- visibility of 100 meters is
considered "zero visibility".

Air and land transportation were seriously affected, with
Tjilik Riwut Airport already closed. People wanting to travel by
air have been asked to depart from the airport of the neighboring
South Kalimantan province Syamsuddin Noor.

Indonesia's efforts to douse the fires were further boosted
yesterday as French and Japanese governments decided to join
forces.

France will donate Rp 275 million (US$ 78,571) worth of fire
fighting equipment, while Japan will send 30 firefighters and two
helicopters to Indonesia.

The firefighters, accompanied by ministry officials, will
leave Tokyo Wednesday and plan to stay in Indonesia for three
weeks, the Information and Cultural Office of the Japanese
Embassy here said.

It is Japan's second rescue mission to the region to combat
the fires following a dispatch of Japanese doctors, fire fighting
and air pollution experts last month.

France's latest offer of assistance follows President Jacques
Chirac's letter to President Soeharto on the serious effects of
the fires on Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region. (amd)