Indonesia: 21 hotspots detected in W. Kalimantan

Antara 15 Jul 15;

Pontianak (ANTARA News) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has detected some 21 hotspots in West Kalimantan Province on Monday, indicating the presence of wildfires.

The provinces Sintang District had five hotspots; Ketapang four; Sambar, Kubu Raya, and Sekadau, with two hotspots respectively; and Kapuas Hulu, Pontianak city, and Singkawang, with one hotspot each, Sustyo Triyono, the head of the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Office (BKSDA), stated here.

The number of hotspots in West Kalimantan had significantly dropped following a recent visit by Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, he noted.

"We, with the support of other government institutions and the private Fire Brigade Foundation, have jointly put out fires in several hotspots detected by the NOAA Satellite," he remarked.

He urged farmers and plantation owners to not use fire to clear land for farming or plantation activities.

Earlier, Deputy Governor of West Kalimantan Christiandy Sanjaya emphasized that fire setters must be given harsh punishment to serve as a deterrent.

Since January, the West Kalimantan authorities have launched a public campaign on the governments regulation that bans setting fires in plantation and forest areas, he added.

The West Kalimantan Police have detained six suspects charged with setting plantation fires. Three were arrested in Landak, and the others were apprehended in Pontianak.
(Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR)