Number Of Hot Spots In Several Areas Decreasing

Jakarta, Oct 21 (Antara) - The number of hotspots in several areas across Indonesia is coming down, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Tuesday. According to the agency, as on Tuesday 07.00 a.m., there were zero hotspots in Sumatra and Kalimantan islands where the highest number of hotspots was detected. "The number of hotspots must be decreasing due to the approaching rains. Besides that, we had also been deploying helicopters on water bombing missions to extinguish hotspots," Sutopo observed. Earlier, on Friday (Oct 17), NOAA 18 Satellite detected 130 hotspots across Sumatra Island, a significant increase from 66 hotspots sighted earlier. Of the 130 hotspots, four were detected in Riau Province, three in Bengkalis, and one was found in Meranti Islands district, said Saglul, the head of the Riau disaster mitigation office. The BNPB had dispatched nine helicopters to extinguish forest fires in several areas across Indonesia. In September, some 2,200 military personnel and 1,050 police personnel were sent to assist the Agency and Manggala Agni in extinguishing the fires.