Hundreds of hotspots detected

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: Satellite imaging has revealed 207 hotspots as a result of forest fires across West Kalimantan over the past two days.

Official from the provincial forestry agency in charge of farmland and forest fires Soekarno Kusnadi said on Monday the fires were located in former forestry concession areas, plantations belonging to companies and farmland, mostly in Ketapang and Pontianak regencies.

"The hotspots may be the result of drought or land clearance," Soekarno said. He added his office had no plans to verify the satellite findings.

The provincial forest and farmland fire control body can be contacted on (0561) 769475 by local people who wish to report fires that are out of control. -- Antara