14 hotspots detected in Balangan, Indonesia

Fourteen hotspots were detected in several sub-districts in Balangan District, South Kalimantan, a local official said here Friday.

"Based on the monitoring, the hotspots in Balangan were found in agricultural areas, plantations and many small spots in forest regions," Indonesia's Antara news agency quoted Haryono, the head of Balangan forestry and plantation office, as saying.

Eight provinces across Indonesia: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, North Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan, were on emergency alert due to forest and plantation fires.

The National Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency predicted that the dry season in Indonesia will last until January 2015.

To extinguish forest and plantation fires, the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) will conduct cloud seeding operations to create artificial rain, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said recently.

He explained that the BNPB coordinated with the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), which will continue with their artificial rain operations throughout October.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi urged the public to protect themselves from the smoke caused by forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

"The smoke causes pollution and also affects the breathing and vision of the people," Mboi stated.