JAKARTA, Sept 14 (NNN-ANTARA) – Indonesia deployed 100 soldiers to forest fire-stricken area on Sumatra Island, as the flame forces airports and schools to close on the island and Kalimantan Island, officials said.
Millions of tonnes of water have been poured down, through water bombings, to extinguish the fire in 5,071 hot-spots across the country, spokesman of the national disaster management agency, Agus Wibowo, said.
The extra number of soldiers would back up nearly 10,000 soldiers, police, disaster agency personnel and communities, who have been struggling to put out the fire, Agus said.
The spokesman stressed that the personnel have tried hard to douse the flame, but failed.
“(The hot-spot areas) have been poured down with water bombings for several times, but the fire keeps burning. However, the personnel will not give up,” Agus said, adding, rains on Friday, in some parts of the fire stricken-areas proved to be a relief to curb the fire.
The haze from the forest fire has forced authorities to shut down airports in Kalimantan, due to poor visibility.
Forest fire has frequently happened in Indonesia, as growers use fires to clear lands for opening a new plantation, such as for growing palm and pulp plantation. But the fire has often raged out of control, especially during the dry season, resulting haze spreading to neighbouring countries.– NNN-ANTARA