REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- Riau authorities will extend the forest and plantation fire emergency status, which will end on March 31, 2015, to anticipate the reemergence of wildfires in the upcoming dry season.

"Fires and hotspots still exist in the coastal areas, such as Bengkalis District. Therefore, the (acting) governor of Riau will soon extend the fire emergency status," Head of the Riau Environmental Agency Yulwiriawati Moesa said here, Tuesday.

Earlier, Acting Governor of Riau Arsyadjuliandi Rachman had declared an emergency status due to the wildfires in Riau for the period between February and March 31, 2015.

The districts of Bengkalis and Meranti Islands have also declared an emergency status following forest and plantation fires that produce haze.

Currently, the condition has improved following efforts to extinguish the fires by conducting cloud seeding operations and dropping water bombs from helicopters.

The extension of emergency status will be used to improve the water management system in peatland areas, which are prone to wildfires.

The government plans to accelerate a program to block one thousand canals with the assistance of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

The canal blocking program, aimed at preventing fires, will be carried out in six coastal areas: Bengkalis, Meranti Islands, Indragiri Hilir, Siak, Pelalawan and Dumai City.

The government will block illegal canals in open access areas, she noted.

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