Indonesia: Riau reopens haze command post

Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post 25 Jul 13;

The Riau Haze Mitigation command post at Roesmin Nurjadin Airbase in Pekanbaru, Riau, was reopened on Wednesday in response to the recurrence of fires over the past several days.

"The command post was earlier moved to the Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency [BPBD], but today it was reopened at the airbase to facilitate trans-sector coordination," Riau BPBD head Said Saqlul Amri told The Jakarta Post.

He acknowledged the main command post was reopened to anticipate the haze, which had sparked protests from neighboring countries like Singapore and Malayasia, from recurring.

"In August, forest fires in Riau are predicted to be more severe. According to the BMKG [Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency], August is the peak of the dry season, that's why efforts should be made to anticipate the problem," said Amri.

Four helicopters have been deployed to conduct water bombing operations in the north of Riau, where the majority of fires have been detected. The local military command has sent an additional 200 troops - assisted by 100 public order officers - to Rokan Hulu, Rokan Hilir, Siak, Bengkalis and Dumai city, which are the worst-hit by forest and peatland fires.

The number of fires in Riau has continued to fluctuate and has tended to increase in the past three days. On Monday, 173 hot spots were detected. They dwindled to 165 the next day, but again rose to 183 on Tuesday.

The majority of fires are in Rokan Hilir, with 48, followed by Pelalawan (22), Siak (19), Bangkalis (18) and Rokan Hulu (17). As of Wednesday, only Pekanbaru was free of the fires.

Roesmin Nujadin Airbase operational head Let. Col. Prasetya H said the four helicopters were focusing on water bombing operations in Pelalawan and Dumai.

"Today, they're focusing operations in Dumai on fires near the city. The air quality has also dropped to 308 PSI [Pollutants Standards Index]," he added.

Nine choppers readied to put out land fires
Antara 24 Jul 13;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - The National Disaster Mitigation Body (BNPB) has again readied nine helicopters to put out land and forest fires in Riau province.

"The nine helicopters earlier conducted aerial patrols to monitor hotspots in Riau. However, hotspots have appeared again so water-bombing efforts are needed," BNPB spokesman Agus Wibowo told Antara in Pekanbaru by phone on Wednesday.

The nine helicopters would be involved in water-bombing operations in turns, he said.

"The water bombing efforts are likely to have the same pattern as earlier. Four of the helicopters will lead water-bombing operations while the other three will conduct aerial patrols and be put on standby," he said.

As a coordinator of disaster mitigation efforts, BNPB would also ready three Cassa planes, consisting of one from the Air Force, one from the Navy and one from the Army, he said.

"Each of the forces has readied one plane to conduct cloud seeding, if needed," he said.

An Antara journalist observed smog again shrouded a number of areas in Riau province over the past few days.

The smog forced three planes to divert flights as visibility at Sultan Syarif Kasim (SSK) II Airport in the provincial capital Pekanbaru dropped to less than 500 meters.

The local authorities have again put the province under "smog alert status" and will cooperate with BNPB in putting out the land and forest fires. (*)

Editor: Heru

Forest fire occurs again in Riau as new hotspots found
Antara 24 Jul 13;

Pekanbaru, Riau Province (ANTARA News) - About 185 hotspots, possibly forest fires, have been found in Riau province recently, spokesman to National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Agus Wibowo said here on Wednesday.

"The recent number is an increase compared to our finding last Tuesday (July 23) of 48 hotspots," he said.

Meanwhile analyst from Pekanbaru`s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Warih Budi Lestari predicted hotspots will keep emerging in Riau province as Indonesia is in a drought season now meaning there will be little rain to eradicate them.

"From mid to end of July there is a dynamic graphic of hotspot occurrences in Riau. If it rains, the hotspots will reduce, but if it`s not, the number of hotspots will be increasing," he said.

Warih called on local people not to burn forest in order to open new plantation. Such action, he said, will hinder efforts to reduce hotspots in Riau.

Last June, Riau province suffered the worst due to an increase of hotspots allegedly originated from intentional forest fire by local people. Thousands of people are suffering acute respiratory disease because of the haze resulting from the forest fires. The haze even impacted people in neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.(*)

Editor: Heru

Jakarta minister vows action against forest-fire culprits
Zakir Hussain Indonesia Bureau Chief And Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja Indonesia Correspondent In Jakarta
Straits Times 25 Jul 13;

INDONESIA will identify and act against companies found responsible for the latest round of forest fires in Riau, Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya has said. Investigations into those complicit in last month's severe haze are continuing, he told reporters yesterday.

His ministry also said in a statement that it was widening the net of culpability by taking a "multi-door" approach: This considers whether companies and individuals involved had violated one or more of 11 relevant laws. Apart from statutes on environmental protection and forestry, these include laws on taxation, Customs, money-laundering, and corruption.

"I have said the law must take its course, and I will encourage and ensure this," Dr Balthasar said. "Those who breach the law must face the consequences."

The comments came as the national disaster management agency (BNPB) reopened a command post in Pekanbaru yesterday, and some 1,300 soldiers were redeployed in Riau to fight fires.

They joined another 1,200 Riau disaster agency officials already battling the fires, aided by water-bombing and cloud-seeding sorties.

Yesterday, the number of hot spots fell sharply to 56 in Riau, down from 185 on Tuesday, BNPB said. The Riau disaster agency's rescue head, Mr Ferialdi, said the main challenge was getting to severe hot spots in peatlands far from access roads.

Residents in parts of Riau got some respite yesterday. In Dumai, the PSI fell to 77, well below a peak of 900 last month.

Dumai mayor Khairul Anwar told The Straits Times that the situation had improved compared to the past three days.

In Malaysia, conditions also improved yesterday with just one spot in Seri Manjung, Perak, reporting "unhealthy" air quality at 122 on the Department of Environment's air pollution index at midday.

Air quality in Port Klang improved from 120 in the past two days to 81 yesterday, and other areas saw marked improvement.

Still, Indonesian officials are on guard for fires in other provinces until the dry season ends in October.

Deputy Minister Arief Yuwono told reporters that two command posts to coordinate response efforts elsewhere will start operating tomorrow in Palembang, South Sumatra, and Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan.

Dr Balthasar also said the documents for ratifying the Asean Transboundary Haze Agreement are ready, and refuted concerns by reporters that MPs might raise other issues to stall it.

"We are in this together. And as a big country in Asia, we should lead, not trail behind. Signing it should be a matter of national pride," he added.

Additional reporting by Lester Kong in Malaysia