Malaysian Firefighters Ends Services in Indonesia
10/16/97
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Headline: Malaysian Firefighters Ends Services in Indonesia
Source: Agence France-Presse
Date: 10/16/97
Copyright 1997 by Agence France-Presse
JAKARTA, Oct 16 (AFP) - Over 1,000 Malaysian firefighters who
have assisted Indonesian efforts to battle widespread forest and
ground fires in Sumatra returned home Thursday aboard a Malaysian
navy ship, reports said.
The 1,078 Malaysian volunteers left the Dumai harbour in Riau
province after helping firefighting efforts here since September 24,
the official Antara news agency said.
The Malaysians had been deployed in three provinces on Sumatra
island worst hit by fires: Riau, Jambi and Southern Sumatra.
The fires have spawned a thick haze that has choked most of
Southeast Asia since August.
Sporadic rains early in October in various parts of the country,
had also helped reduce the fires but on Thursday, the coordinating
center of the Environmental Impact Agency here said the number of
fire spots in Sumatra had risen compared to a few days ago.
An official of the coordinating center, who identified herself
as Wachyu, said satellite imagery showed the fire spots in Sumatra
"have increased compared to the past days." But she could not give
any figures.
The haze, which had lessened over most of Sumatra in the past
days had returned in force over West Sumatra and Jambi, officials
there said.
The airport in Padang, West Sumatra, remained closed as
visibility was under 1,000 metres (3,340 feet) an official there
said.
Wachyu however said no fire spots were detected in West Sumatra
and speculated that they were carried by wind from the neighbouring
province of Jambi and Southern Sumatra.
Forest and ground fires have been blamed on the extreme dryness
during the current drought as well as slash and burn methods used by
companies in clearing their land for new crops.
The government has revoked the timber license of 29 companies
which it blamed of using slash and burn. The Environmental Impact
Agency is currently gathering evidence to bring them to court for
polluting and damaging the environment.