Analyst of Riaus Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Ardhitama stated in Pekanbaru on Monday, that the number of hot spots in Riau was dominated across Sumatera Island, with 1,398 spots.
In Sumatera Island, hotspots were detected on North Sumatera (85 spots), Riau Islands (43 spots), West Sumatera (5 spots), while Lampung and Bangka Belitung had one spot each.
While in Riau Province alone, the highest number of hotspots occurred in Benkalis District (525 spots), Siak District (208 spots), Meranti (141 spots), Dumai City (126 spots), Palalawan (118 spots), Indragiri Hilir District (74 spots), Rokan Hilir District (48 spots), and Indragiri Hulu (4 spots).
"Among those, 81 percent was detected as land fires (641 spots). This has also increased multiple times from just 20 spots," Ardhitama added.
Bush and land fires in Riau have reportedly caused respiratory infections and other problems, such as eye and skin irritations, among 20 thousand people.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) noted in a press statement that hot spots were also detected in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos, causing smog.
According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) XVIII, 490 hot spots that were detected in Vietnam were considered as land fire case.
(Uu.A060/INE/o001)
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