Forest fires in Sumatra are worsening as the Indonesian govt promises to ramp up the response


A police officer sprays water in an attempt to extinguish a fire that razes through a peatland field in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, July 20, 2025. -- AP Photo/Muhammad Hatta

JAKARTA (Xinhua): Indonesian authorities have been accelerating efforts to tackle forest and land fires, particularly in Riau province and other regions across Sumatra Island in the country's western territories.

According to the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan, a spike in hotspots was detected in Riau between July 19 and 20, with smoke potentially drifting to neighbouring countries.

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