Indonesia to stop forest fire with water boom, artificial rain
Indonesia to stop forest fire with water boom, artificial rain
24 June 2013
published by www.shanghaidaily.com
Indonesia — Indonesia has stepped up effort to stop forest fire in Sumatra island by using water booms and making artificial rains along with effort to stop the fire from land, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here on Monday.
The police would carry out investigation to find out whether any domestic or foreign plantation firm is involved in the fire and law enforcement would be conducted, said President Yudhoyono.
The president expressed apology to Singapore and Malaysia over the haze enveloping their territory.
“I am as the president of Indonesia beg an apology over what has happened in Singapore and Malaysia. It does not occur in purpose. We will be responsible for this,” he said.
Nevertheless, President Yudhoyono said that human factor was not the only main contributor to the fire, the hot weather was also to be blamed.
“Maybe there are one or two parties (firms) in clearing land, but the weather…. makes the pit land flammable,” he said.
The president also demanded other provinces which are vulnerable to the fire to take precautionary actions.
Haze from forest fire in Riau province of Sumatra island has enveloped Singapore and Malaysia, drawing complaints.
Indonesia often weathered forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan islands in the 1990s, resulting in haze that spread to other ASEAN countries and caused billions of U.S. dollars of economic losses.
