Four killed fighting Indonesia wildfire as haze spreads beyond its borders
Jakarta says it will accept foreign help to tackle the country's worst forest fires in more than a decade, with Sumatra and Borneo hardest hit.
At a glance
- Four people were killed after being caught in flames while tackling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, on Thursday.
- Two others suffered serious burns, and Indonesia says it will accept foreign help to fight its worst fires in more than a decade.
- Satellite monitoring detected 799 high-confidence hotspots nationwide as of Thursday night, up 427 from the day before.
Four people tackling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Indonesia, were killed after being caught in the flames on Thursday, the Forestry Ministry said on Friday. Two others suffered serious burns and are receiving medical treatment.
The deaths came as Jakarta said it would accept foreign help to fight the country's worst forest fires in more than a decade. The ministry did not identify the victims, but expressed "deep condolences" and paid tribute to the "courage and dedication" of officers, volunteers and residents working on the fire lines.
Haze crosses borders
Reuters reported that the fires have extended beyond Indonesia's borders, blanketing neighbouring countries in haze. The islands of Sumatra and Borneo, close to Singapore and Malaysia, are the worst affected.
The ministry said satellite monitoring detected 799 high-confidence hotspots nationwide as of Thursday night, up 427 from the day before. It cautioned that hotspots are not the same as fires, because a single blaze can register as several.
Offers of foreign help
President Prabowo Subianto has approved accepting help from neighbouring countries, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said, according to Reuters. Malaysia offered last month to send three helicopters, an aircraft and 52 personnel, but Reuters reported there had been no follow-up. Singapore has also said it is ready to help.
The ministry described the deaths as "a reminder that extinguishing forest and land fires is a high-risk operation". It said safety "must be the main concern", including tracking how a fire is spreading and the wind direction, keeping evacuation routes ready and assessing conditions before and during operations.
Indonesia has faced heavy criticism over the fires, which have caused respiratory problems for hundreds of thousands of people and forced school closures in Malaysia and East Timor, according to Reuters.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- How did the four people die in the Indonesia forest fires?
- The Forestry Ministry said they were caught in the flames on Thursday while tackling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java. Two others suffered serious burns and are being treated.
- Which parts of Indonesia are worst affected by the fires?
- The islands of Sumatra and Borneo, close to Singapore and Malaysia, are the worst affected. The fires have also spread haze beyond Indonesia's borders.
- Is Indonesia accepting foreign help to fight the fires?
- Yes. Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said President Prabowo Subianto has approved accepting help from neighbouring countries. Malaysia and Singapore have both offered assistance.
