Charred ground: Disaster response officials checking an area after putting out a forest fire in Central Kalimantan. — Photo taken from social media
The country has deployed more than 20 helicopters to six fire-prone provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan as a pre-emptive measure, after small-scale forest and plantation fires appeared in the past week.
The fires, which have prompted fears of haze returning to the region, have not spread, thanks to rain and fire-fighting efforts on the ground, said Indonesia’s national disaster mitigation agency (BNPB).
“BNPB’s helicopters – for surveillance and water bombing – have been on standby in Riau, Jambi in South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan,” Dr Abdul Muhari, acting head of BNPB’s data, information and communication centre, said.
Scattered hot spots were detected in West Kalimantan, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia late last week, based on satellite imagery, and moderate haze could be seen above the hot spot clusters in West Kalimantan, according to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC).
“Fires emerged but remained on a small scale, around 5ha ... We expect a wet dry season this year, a far cry from the high fire-potential dry weather like the case in 2015 and 2018,” Dr Abdul said, referring to haze from forest fires in those years. — The Straits Times/ANN
