Kalimantan wildfire spreads, government drills wells

Forest and land fires in Kalimantan are continuing to spread as the government steps up integrated operations and drills wells to speed water supplies for firefighting. The Forestry Ministry said the measure is important because surface water sources are becoming scarcer amid dry conditions, especially on peatland that can hold embers below the surface. About 12,880 joint personnel have been deployed in Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Tengah, and Kalimantan Selatan, with support from patrol helicopters, fixed-wing patrol aircraft, and water bombing helicopters. At the same time, members of the DPR are urging the government to declare the Kalimantan wildfires a national disaster. Data cited by the DPR show the most hotspots in Kalimantan Tengah, followed by Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Timur, and Kalimantan Utara.