TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (Modis) satellite on the Terra and Aqua spacecraft on Monday, September 12, 2016, detected 140 hotspots for land and forest fires in West Kalimantan.
The National Disaster Management Agency's (BNPB) data information and public relations chief Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said that fire broke in the Sekadau, Ketapang, Landak and Sanggau regencies, due to land clearing activities.
Sutopo said that the Himawari Satellite on September 12, 16:00 pm, also detected thin smoke in Sekadau, and Ketapang regencies.
"Thin smoke is also detected in Katingan regency in Central Kalimantan", he said in a written statement in Jakarta, Monday, September 12.
Firefighters and officers from the military (TNI), police, and BNPB continue their efforts to put out the fire. The BNPB sent out two water bombing helicopters and a TNU Air Force Casa plane to create artificial rain. A total of 3,500 personnel have been deployed to put out the fire.
Sutopo said that the people's habit of burning trees and busses for land clearing purposes remains as the main cause for forest fire.
According to him, the Modis satellite has 351 hotspots in Indonesia on September 12. He said a total of 600.6 hectares of forest have been burned this year.
"A total of 509 hectares are public land, 1.6 hectares are plantations, and 90 hectares are conservation areas," he said.
ARKHELAUS W.