We didn't start the forest fires: Logging companies

We didn't start the forest fires: Logging companies

JAKARTA (JP): The Association of Indonesian Forest
Concessionaires (APHI) insisted on Friday they were not
responsible for the forest fires producing a thick haze
blanketing parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan and disrupting
activity in neighboring countries.

"I categorically reject any accusations that concessionaires
are responsible (for the fires) or are engaged in burning the
forest," APHI deputy chief for legal affairs Reza Suarga said
here.

He insisted that burning the forest would only cause financial
losses for concession holders.

"Every cubic meter of wood is very valuable to them" so it
would be "stupid" for them to burn the forest, he said, adding
that almost all clearing of forests through land burning had
ceased since 1998.

He said the association welcomed the general public, the
government and non-governmental organizations to verify these
accusations in the field, and that any public company found
burning the forest should be brought to court.

As quoted by Antara, Reza said it was strange that many of the
"hot spots" were found in areas bordering the Malaysian state of
Sarawak.

There are increasing fears that the haze, which has been
slowly spreading, will again affect the entire region as it did
in 1997.

Initial suspicion is that the current haze has been caused by
fires used to clear land in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Antara reported from Medan, North Sumatra, on Friday that the
latest satellite images showed the number of hot spots in the
province had decreased from 29 on Thursday to 18.

It believed that rain which fell in the regencies of Labuhan
Batu and Tapanuli Selatan on Thursday night helped extinguish
many of the fires.

Meanwhile from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, it was reported
on Friday that apart from the outskirts of the city, haze was
also beginning to blanket Banjar, Tanah Laut, Kotabaru and Kota
Banjarbaru regencies.

However, the thin veil of haze had not reached the level where
it would effect daily activity or traffic.

Aid

From Singapore, the Associated Press reported that
environmental experts from Singapore would go to Jakarta next
week to help combat the fires.

Singapore has reportedly been supplying satellite images to
Jakarta to pinpoint the fires and has set up stations to measure
pollution levels, said Joseph Hui, the environment ministry's
head of strategic planning.

"Every year we are spending S$200,000 (US$109,280) for the
satellite pictures alone," said Hui.

Satellite photos show hot spots across the Indonesian island
of Sumatra as well as fires in Sarawak, Malaysia, said Shen
Chaomin of the Center for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing.

Singapore officials, however, have played down concerns that
the fires could cause the kind of haze problem seen in 1997.

"There is concern for the haze situation but we do not think
that we will be very adversely affected," said Wong Teo San,
deputy director of meteorological services in Singapore.

Singapore's Meteorological Service Department said on Friday
that the Pollutants Standard Index, or PSI, had risen to 65,
which, while not optimal, is not considered dangerous. Above 100
is considered the danger zone.

Wong said the region would experience dry weather until
October, but intermittent rain should help contain the pollution
from the fires.

Loh Ah Tuan, director of policy for the Singapore environment
ministry, said the Indonesian government was beginning to take
the fires seriously.

He said Indonesian officials faced difficulties such as
getting access to fire-plagued regions.

The situation in Thailand and Malaysia has also improved due
to a change in wind direction and some rain.

But in neighboring Malaysia, central Kuala Lumpur was still
shrouded in light-colored smoke on Friday, obscuring the hills
that ring the city, Reuters reported.

Malaysia's environment department reported "unhealthy"
pollution levels at two centers on Thursday, down from four such
readings on Wednesday. Forty-six stations around the country
measured "moderate" to "very good".

The two unhealthy centers were Kuala Selangor, 50 kilometers
northwest of Kuala Lumpur, where an underground peat fire has
been burning since last week, and northern Penang state. (mds)