Haze abating in Kalimantan but Sumatra at risk

Haze abating in Kalimantan but Sumatra at risk

Berni K. Moestafa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The thick haze shrouding most parts of Kalimantan is abating but
is threatening Sumatra as forest fires continue to be set.

Scattered rain in the West Kalimantan capital of Pontianak
over the weekend reduced the haze for the first time in two
weeks.

Flights at the local airport Supadio returned to normal
schedules as planes faced only sporadic showers under an
otherwise clear sky, Antara reported on Sunday.

And rain in the Central Kalimantan capital of Palangka Raya
helped the Standard Air Pollution Index (ISPU) drop from
dangerous to unhealthy.

Flights at the Tjilik Riwut Palangka Raya airport also
returned to normal schedules.

East Kalimantan Governor Asmawi Agani said his administration
would provide Rp 500 million to help in the fight against the
haze.

"The amount is small and help from the central government has
not come yet but everything will be done to overcome the haze
problem in this region," Asmawi told the local council during a
meeting to discuss the region's draft budget on Saturday.

In the capital city of the province of Riau in Sumatra,
Pekanbaru, ISPU levels improved to medium risk from unhealthy.

Mangandar, who heads the damage control unit at the local
branch of the environmental control agency, said haze stemmed
from land clearing activities in and around the city.

Elsewhere, West Sumatra's forestry office warned the haze
could spread to the province as they had recorded 17 fire
hotspots.

"We must take action now while the condition is not as bad as
in other regions," local forestry office spokesman Fauzi said.

South Sumatra had 210 hotspots, Riau had 101 and Bangka
Belitung had 78, he said.

Sumatra's Meteorology and Geophysics Office (BMG) head Emrizal
said the haze had not affected the region yet.

Forest fires break out in Indonesia during every dry season
but have worsened in the past few years and increased the
widespread haze problems.

The worst haze occurred in 1997 when the weather anomaly El
Nino worsened the drought which created tinder-dry forests that
burned uncontrollably and spread choking smoke to neighboring
Singapore and Malaysia.

Several weather observers have noted a weaker El Nino
returning this year although some have disputed this observation.

Minister for the Environment Nabiel Makarim has said that
efforts to anticipate the forest fires began in January.

He said the government had adopted the wrong strategy of
monitoring plantations and timber operations while the fires this
year had stemmed mostly from farmers clearing land.