REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- A total of 315 hotspots still existed in five provinces in Sumatra on Thursday morning, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
Based on images provided by the Terra and Aqua satellites at 5 a.m. local time on Thursday, the BMKG data revealed that most of the hotspots were detected in South Sumatra, reaching 221.
"It is followed by Jambi with 28 hotspots, Riau four hotspots, and Lampung one hotspot," BKMG Chief for Pekanbaru office Sugarin remarked.
He noted that the hotspots in Riau were found in Indragiri Hilir District. Of all those detected in Riau, 70 percent were believed to be hotspots.
Over the past few weeks, the number of hotspots in Riau had reduced to zero. However, on Wednesday, Oct. 14, the satellites again detected the emergence of hotspots, which were believed to arise from the previously burnt land where fires resurfaced as a result of the drought.
The BMKG's monitoring in the four districts of Riau province revealed that the haze situation had been improving, although the visibility was still about 600 meters in Pelalawan District.
"Visibility in Pekanbaru has reached 1.2 thousand meters, Rengat District one thousand meters, and Dumai District three thousand meters," Sugarin revealed.
Head of Riau's Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Edwar Sanger explained that the handling of forest and land fires in Riau was relatively successful.
He said the haze that had blanketed Riau over the past two months actually originated from South Sumatra Province. The haze problem in Riau will disappear if the forest and land fires in the upstream area (South Sumatra) could be overcome.
"The haze in Riau is temporary and will soon disappear once its sources are seriously handled," he emphasized.
In Riau, efforts are ongoing to handle the smog. With regard to the legal aspect, the Riau police have named 58 forest and land arsonists as suspects. They are also still investigating 18 corporations, which are suspected to have burnt land.
As a result of the haze, thousands of residents in Riau Province have suffered from acute respiratory infections.
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