"It`s very hard for us to extinguish the fire due to the difficult terrain. We don`t get help, the forest will be gutted by the fire which is now spreading and still burning freely," Head of the West Lampung Disaster Management Office Mulyono said here on Thursday.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 18 Satellite had detected at least 36 new hotspots on Sumatra Island on Thursday.
The head of Riau`s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Yudhistira Mawaddah said in Dumai, Riau, on Thursday that of the 36 new hotspots, 13 were detected in Riau Province.
There rest were in South Sumatra Province (11 hotspots), Jambi (eight), North Sumatra (two), Lampung (one), and Aceh (one), he said.
Meanwhile, forest fires were reported in Jembrana District, Bali Province, on Wednesday (Aug 17).
Head of the Penginuman Forestry Police Resort Agus Sugianto said the fires gutted a half-hectare area near Tower 89 State Power Utility (PLN) and three hectares in the north area.
The forestry police personnel and staff of the West Bali National Park finally managed to extinguish the forest fires.
He suspected that the fires were triggered by cigarette butt thrown carelessly.
In West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), a fire razed Mt Sasak forest at Kuripan village on August 5, 2011. The fire believed to have triggered by drought, was put out four hours later. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
