Indonesian President Warns of Widespread Smoke Threat as Forest Fires Blaze
JAKARTA, Oct 8 — Indonesian President Joko Widodo has issued a warning about the potential spread of smoke from the ongoing forest and land fires in the country. He urged immediate action from top military and police officers, as well as regional government officials to tackle the issue effectively.
Addressing the situation, President Widodo, popularly referred to as Jokowi, acknowledged that every fire produces smoke that can easily spread if carried by the wind. He emphasized the need to control even the smallest fire points to prevent further propagation. The president also expressed concern about the increasing air pollution in neighboring countries due to the smoke from the fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
President Widodo attributed the prolonged dry season and higher-than-normal temperatures to the escalation and broadening of hotspots in various regions. However, he assured that the current fire control efforts are more robust compared to the forest fires that occurred in 2015. He remains confident in the ability to effectively manage the situation.
The peak of the dry season in Indonesia is projected to occur this month, following the surge in hot spots since August. Several regions, including Java, have not received rain for the past three months, exacerbating the situation.
Malaysia stands ready to collaborate with Indonesia in managing the forest and land fires should the need arise, according to an official letter from Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, to his Indonesian counterpart, Siti Nurbaya Bakar. The Malaysian Consulate in Pontianak has already provided six water pumps to the government of West Kalimantan in August for fire prevention and control purposes.
In response to Malaysia’s complaints about Indonesia’s haze, Siti Nurbaya clarified that there has been no cross-border haze reaching Malaysia. She affirmed ongoing monitoring and refuted the inaccuracies in Malaysia’s claims.
The Indonesian government remains focused on addressing the problem and actively collaborating with neighboring nations to find effective solutions. With the critical dry season underway, it is crucial to control the forest and land fires to mitigate the smoke’s widespread impact on both Indonesia and the region.
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