Jakarta Globe 10 Jun 14;
Jakarta. Satellites on Sunday detected 227 hotspots across Sumatra — the highest number in three months, after a relative lull — including 37 in the hard-hit Riau province, where blazes have caused school cancelations and widespread respiratory illness.
According to information obtained by NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites, fires were burning over the weekend in Aceh, Jambi, North Sumatra, Riau, South Sumatra and West Sumatra, state-run Antara news agency reported.
“There are three helicopters on standby, as the [rental] contract expires in September,” National Disaster and Mitigation Agency (BNPB) information division head Agus Wibowo said on Monday, as reported by Antara. The helicopters could carry a combined 8,600 liters of water, he said.
Riau officials said that plans for cloud seeding and water bombing were underway.
As of Friday, two days before the surge, NASA only detected eleven Sumatra hotspots, and only two in Riau.
BNPB predicted that El Nino, at the end of June, would bring hot, dry weather, causing blazes to flare up again.
