REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, E LAMPUNG -- Fires, which were allegedly intentionally set, have razed hundreds of hectares of forest area in Way Kambas National Park located in East Lampung District, Lampung Province.

"Currently, one location in the Section III of Way Kambas National Park is on fire," Antonius Febri, the head of the park's Section III, confirmed here, Sunday.

He suspected that the fires were deliberately lit by poachers operating in the park.

A team comprising the park's personnel, rangers, and military personnel has been making efforts to put out the fires.

Over 400 hectares of forest area in the park's Section III had been destroyed by the fires since June.

"In the Section III in Way Penet, forest area measuring 400 to 500 hectares was razed by fires," he pointed out.

The Way Kambas National Park is divided into three sections: Section I in Way Kanan, Section II in Way Bungur, and Section III in Way Penet.

In the meantime, President Joko Widodo has ordered security agencies to take action against companies, which have burnt down fields that have caused haze in six provinces.

"I have ordered the national police chief to take as firm action as possible on companies that violate the laws," he said while inspecting the forest fire in Pulau Geronggang village in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra, on Sunday.

President Widodo has reminded all ministries/institutions, TNI (military)/police, and related offices that prevention is the best policy.

He emphasized that companies violating the law must be held responsible, adding that he had on several earlier occasions cautioned many plantation companies that harsh actions would be taken against those found guilty of setting fires to their fields.

The head of state affirmed that companies must also be responsible for the areas around their fields.

"I have ordered the forestry minister to revoke the concession rights of companies that break the law, and if a criminal case is involved, it will be processed by the police chief," he remarked.

President Widodo noted that he had mobilized several people to conduct monitoring and control to tackle fires that have broken out since April.

"Do not act after the fires become big. I have said that I do not want to talk about what has caused the fires as well as their solutions. Everybody knows what they have to do," he said.

President Widodo has called for immediate extinguishing the current fires, emphasizing that prevention must be the priority for next year.

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