A number of personnel from forest fire brigade "Manggala Agni", military, police and forest rangers were present in the event.
Minister Zulkifli Hasan was accompanied by the chairman of the National Disaster Mitigation Office (BNPB), Deputy Governor of Riau Mambang Mit, Dumai Mayor Khairul Anwar, and Bengkali District Head Jon Erizal.
Meanwhile, Environmental Affairs Minister Balthasar Kambuaya alleged that a number of foreign firms are involved in the current forest and woodland fires in Riau province.
"It seems that (the fires) also involved foreign firms," he said in the State Palace compounds in Jakarta on Friday.
He said investigation is still underway to prove the alleged involvement of eight companies in the forest and woodland fires.
The NOAA-15 satellite early this week detected 234 hot spots across Sumatra, particularly in Riau, Jambi and North Sumatra Provinces on June 29.
Around 850 hectares of peatland areas were gutted by fires, but at least 460 hectares were put out by Indonesian fire brigade teams. According to recent reports, one person was killed and another was injured due to the disaster.
In Rokan Hilir District, Riau Province, 164 people fled Kepenghuluan Bangko Bakti village which has been blanketed by thick haze. Villagers of neighboring Kepenghuluan Teluk Bano are also preparing themselves for evacuation to emergency tents away from their village.
Several flights were postponed or cancelled and Sultan Syarif Kasim (SSK) II Airport in Pekanbaru, Riau Island, was shut down temporarily due to the haze.
The smoky haze from Sumatra has also affected Indonesia`s neighboring countries. Singapore has urged people to remain indoors amid unprecedented levels of air pollution, while Malaysia has closed 200 schools and banned open burning in some areas.
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Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
