An Indonesian ranger inspecting the peat forest fire at Meulaboh, Aceh province on July 26, 2017. - PHOTO: AFP
Jakarta: The government has declared 16 provinces across the country as prone to forest and land fires ahead of the upcoming El Niño, a climate pattern linked to warming waters in the central and eastern areas of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Such weather phenomena are known to trigger an extension of the dry season in Indonesia, which can increase the risk of wildfire.
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