Pekanbaru, Riau (Antarariau.com) - The Terra and Aqua satellites detected seven hotspots in two provinces on Sumatra island on Thursday morning.
Hotspots are areas that are very hot and dry compared to their surroundings, where wildfires are likely to start or are already burning.
Five hotspots were located in Meranti Islands District in Riau Province and two in North Sumatra, Slamet Riyadi, the Pekanbaru meteorology station spokesman, said. The five hotspots in Meranti Islands Rangsang Sub-district are believed to have come from forest fires.
On Wednesday, 13 hotspots, indicating forest and plantation fires, were detected in three provinces on Sumatra island. Of these, seven were in North Sumatra Province, four in Riau, and two in South Sumatra. In Riau, the hotspots were in the Siak and Rokan Hilir districts.
Two helicopters of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency have been readied to extinguish wildfires in Riau Province when needed.
Authorities in Riau have extended the emergency to November 30 to optimize efforts to put out forest, peatland and plantation fires.
Seven Hotspots Detected In Sumatra
