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.
Translator: FB Anggoro, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
