FB Anggoro, Fardah Antara 20 Mar 19;
Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - The Terra and Aqua Satellites, on Wednesday morning, detected a total of 187 hotspots on Sumatra Island, including 165 in Riau Province, according to the Pekanbaru meteorology station.
The number of hotspots in Riau increased to 165, from 156 on the previous day, according to a statement issued by the local meteorology station.
In Riau, 39 hotspots were found in Bengkalis District, 37 in Pelalawan, 31 in Meranti Islands, 17 in Rokan Hilir, 16 in Dumai, 11 in Siak, six in Indragiri Hulu, three in Indragiri Hilir, two each in Kampar and Rokan Hulu, and one in Pekanbaru.
Of the 12 districts in Riau, only Kuantan Singingi had no hotspot.
Of the total 165 hotspots, 107 had an accuracy of above 70 percent of being spots of forest fires.
The 107 hotspots comprised 27 in Bengkalis, 20 in Meranti Islands, 19 in Pelalawan, 13 in Dumai, 11 in Rokan Hilir, seven in Siak, five in Indragiri Hulu, two each in Indragiri Hilir and Rokan Hulu, and one in Pekanbaru.
The Riau provincial administration has declared a forest fire emergency status until October 2019. Peatland fires have occurred since January 2019, and the number significantly increased during March.
Since January 2019, wildfires had gutted a total area of 2,038 hectares in the province, including 1,045 hectares in Bengkalis, Edwar Sanger, head of the Riau Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBD), stated on Tuesday.
Some haze from wildfires has shrouded Riau and also drifted to the neighboring province of North Sumatra.
Editor: Suharto
Wildfire Hotspots in Riau Increased by 100 percent within 2 Days
Translator: Dewi Elvia Muthiariny
Editor: Laila Afifa Tempo 20 Mar 19;
TEMPO.CO, Pekanbaru - The Terra and Aqua Satellite detected a 100 percent increase of Indonesian wildfire hotspots indicating land and forest fire in several areas of Riau which amounted to 165 hotspots compared to the previous day's 86 hotspots.
“Those hotspots are monitored up to 7 a.m. today,” said the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of Pekanbaru Station head Sukisno today, Wednesday, March 19.
Sukisno explained most of the hotspots location is detected in Bengkalis at 39 points, followed by Pelalawan (37 hotspots), Meranti (31), Rokan Hilir (17), Dumai (16), Siak (11), Indragiri Hulu (6), Indragiri Hilir (3), Kampar (2), Rokan Hulu (2), and Pekanbaru (1).
“As many as 107 hotspots have a confidence rate over 70 percent,” Sukisno added.
In general, he continued, the weather in Riau is mostly partly cloudy during daylight and potential light rainfall will fall in several areas of Rokan Hulu, Kampar, Pelalawan, Siak, Indragiri Hulu, and Indragiri Hilir. “The temperature is around 24 to 35 degrees Celsius.”
The Riau Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) head Edwar Sanger said that the joint team of Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police, BPBD, and Manggala Agni continued to put out fires. Besides through land efforts, the water-bombing operation was carried out, particularly in coastal areas such as Meranti, Dumai, and Bengkalis.
“The effort is supported by ten units of water-bombing helicopters and one jet,” Edwar said.
To date, the BPBD recorded the land and forest fire in Riau Province was spread on up to 2,425 hectares. The largest fire occurred in Bengkalis with a total of 1,191 hectares.
