REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- Some 55 hotspots, indicating forest and land fires, have been detected over the Island of Sumatra, the Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of Pekanbaru stated Saturday.
The Modis sensor on board the Terra and Agua satellites identified the hotspots, with a confidence level of over 50 percent, to be scattered in seven provinces in Sumatra, Head of BMKG of Pekanbaru Sugarin said.
West Sumatra has the most detections with 16 hotspots, followed by South Sumatra with 14.
Meanwhile, Lampung and Riau each have nine hotspots as the neighboring Bangka Belitung was dotted with only three.
"Nine hotspots in Riau were spotted in three districts, namely Kampar with five, Kuantan Senggigi and Rokan Hulu, with two each," Sugarin said.
Four hotspots, located in Kampar and Rokan Hulu Districts, with a confidence level of more than 70 percent, have higher indications of forest fires in the area, he said.
Bengkulu and North Sumatra Province have the least hotspots with only two detected in each province.
The Riau Administration has extended the forest fire emergency status from June to November 30 2016.
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