"Some 2,398 ha of biosphere reserve and 21,914 ha of agricultural and plantation areas in Riau were gutted by fires," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said here over last weekend.
Forest fires in Riau also affected the environment, health, business and politics, he added.
"Thick haze coming from forest fires caused 58 thousand inhabitants of Riau to have suffered from respiratory problem and schools to temporarily cease class activities," he stated.
He believed that 99 percent of forest fires in Riau were caused by human activities such as opening of new farming and plantation areas.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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