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Jambi on high alert for fires
Effects of the haze: Students wear masks going to school in Pekanbaru on Tuesday
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Effects of the haze: Students wear masks going to school in Pekanbaru on Tuesday. Haze has worsened in the neighboring provinces of Riau and Jambi on Sumatra Island during the last few days, forcing local authorities to send students home. (JP/Rizal Harahap) (JP/Rizal Harahap)
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span class="inline inline-center">Effects of the haze: Students wear masks going to school in Pekanbaru on Tuesday. Haze has worsened in the neighboring provinces of Riau and Jambi on Sumatra Island during the last few days, forcing local authorities to send students home. (JP/Rizal Harahap)
Jambi province is now officially on the highest alert status of level 3, or siaga (alert), for forest and land fires (Karhutla) on Thursday.
"We will soon submit the emergency alert letter signed by Jambi acting governor Irman to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency [BNPB] in Jakarta," said head of the BNPB for Jambi Arief Munandar on Thursday as quoted by Antara news agency.
Regencies already on siaga for fires are Muarojambi, East Tanjung Jabung, and West Tanjung Jabung.
According to Arief, Batanghari regency had also declared a siaga alert for water scarcity in addition to Karhutla.
With Jambi's status raised to siaga level, the BNPB will send equipment and funding to help extinguish the fires that have caused a thick haze and disrupted flights in the province.
"We will help to extinguish the fires through water bombing from the air. We are also ready to use weather modification techniques (TMC), aka artificial rain, when needed," said Arief.
According to the head of the Jambi Environment Agency (BLHD), Rosmeli, the Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) in the city of Jambi on Thursday has reached the level of 102 ppm, which is considered unhealthy. (kes)
