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Riau officially ends emergency status for forest fires as rainy season starts
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A member of East Tanjungjabung Fire Brigade attempts to put out a fire in the Londerang protected peatland forest area. (JP/Jon Afrizal)
T
he Riau provincial administration officially lifted the emergency status for forest and land fires on Thursday as the province has started to enter the rainy season.
The administration has also shut down the posts for the Forest and Land Fires Task Force following the change of alert status.
Riau Governor Syamsuar said he had not extended the emergency alert since most of Riau had entered the rainy season.
“We have conducted an evaluation meeting with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, and the rain has started to become more frequent,” he said.
He expressed hope that the province could maintain a zero hot spot status until the end of the year.
“Hopefully there won’t be any more fires,” he said.
However, Syamsuar stressed that although the emergency status had officially ended, his administration strongly urged residents to take care of the environment by not clearing land by using fire.
