An Indonesian province that suffers annual outbreaks of haze-belching fires said yesterday it was declaring an early alert to prevent blazes burning out of control after forecasters predicted a dry 2017, reports AFP.
Riau, on the western island of Sumatra, announced the move after a few “hotspots”—areas of extreme heat detected by satellites which often indicate fires—were sighted this month.
It came a day after President Joko Widodo urged local authorities to take early steps to prevent a repeat of the haze crisis of 2015.
The fires occur every year on Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo island, typically during the months-long dry season later in the year.