The Jakarta Post 24 Mar 14;
At least 416 fires in peatland and forested areas were recorded on Monday across Sumatra with Riau having the largest number of hotspots, totaling 294, according to surveillance data from the Terra satellite.
Of the total fires in Riau, 56 were detected in Rokan Ilir regency, followed by Bengkalis with 51 fires, Siak with 46, Indragiri Hulu with 36, Pelalawan with 33, Dumai city with 27 and the others in other regencies, the Riau Haze Mitigation Task Force said as reported by Antara news agency.
The task force members, in cooperation with representatives from the Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), would continue in their efforts to fight the fires, which have caused thick, choking haze not only in local cities but also out in neighboring countries Singapore and Malaysia, BPBD head Said Saqlul Amri said.
The authorities also plan to intensify law enforcement measures against perpetrators who are conducting rampant land-clearance activities, primarily with slash-and-burn methods, which have caused the fires.
Since the reoccurrence of severe haze in Riau this year, the Riau Police had received 44 reports of forest and peatland fires in nine regencies and municipalities across the province, Riau Police chief Brig. Gen. Condro Kirono said.
He added that their investigations into five of the 44 reports were still at a preliminary stage, while 16 other cases had progressed to more in-depth investigation. (yln)
