JAKARTA: Indonesia's western province of Riau has declared
a state of emergency over forest and land fires blazing on the island
of Sumatra, a government official said on Tuesday.
The fires,
which send choking smog over Southeast Asia every year, raged
uncontrollably across several provinces last year, costing an estimated
US$16 
billion (11 billion pounds), and pushed average daily greenhouse
gas emissions above those of the United States.
billion (11 billion pounds), and pushed average daily greenhouse
gas emissions above those of the United States.
"The governor has
declared an emergency now, to be able to prevent a repeat of the haze
that occurred in 2015," said provincial government spokesman Darusman,
adding that life in the province continued to be normal.
About 500
military and police personnel and a water-bombing helicopter have been
deployed to help fight the fires but the haze had not yet reached urban
areas, he said.
The fires are often set by plantation companies
and smallholders to clear land, and were particularly bad in 2015
because of a prolonged dry season caused by the El Nino weather pattern.
Indonesian
President Joko Widodo(photo) has urged authorities to contain so-called
hotspots, where fires start and spread to their surroundings.
This year, Widodo set up an agency to restore around 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of carbon-rich peatlands which typically produce more smog than forest fires.But past efforts by Indonesia and neighbouring countries to prevent the fires, or put them out once started, have shown little success. Last year's fires ended only when the rainy season arrived to douse them.
Source: Reuters
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