Indonesia accepts int�l help to combat fires

AFP, JAKARTA: Indonesia agreed yesterday to accept international help to combat forest fires cloaking Southeast Asia in haze, after weeks of failed attempts to douse the blazes that have infuriated its neighbours.
Officials said Singapore and Russia had already offered help and talks were under way with several other countries, an about-face after Jakarta insisted for weeks that it could tackle the crisis alone.
“Hopefully, we can speed up our efforts,” President Joko Widodo said  as he set off to visit western Sumatra island.
For weeks, fires illegally started to clear land for plantations on Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo have shrouded Singapore and Malaysia in acrid smog, worsening air quality, closing schools and forcing the cancellation of outdoor events.
The blazes are an annual occurrence during the dry season, but scientists have warned this year’s are on track to be the worst ever due to an El Nino weather system that has created tinder-dry conditions in Indonesia.

Indonesia accepts int�l help to combat fires

AFP, JAKARTA: Indonesia agreed yesterday to accept international help to combat forest fires cloaking Southeast Asia in haze, after weeks of failed attempts to douse the blazes that have infuriated its neighbours. Officials said Singapore and Russia had already offered help and talks were under way with several other countries, an about-face after Jakarta insisted for weeks that it could tackle the crisis alone. Hopefully, we can speed up our efforts, President Joko Widodo said as he set off to visit western Sumatra island. For weeks, fires illegally started to clear land for plantations on Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo have shrouded Singapore and Malaysia in acrid smog, worsening air quality, closing schools and forcing the cancellation of outdoor events. The blazes are an annual occurrence during the dry season, but scientists have warned this years are on track to be the worst ever due to an El Nino weather system that has created tinder-dry conditions in Indonesia.