NUMBER OF HOT SPOTS IN OKI REACHES 741

Kayuagung, South Sumatra, Sept. 16 (ANTARA) - The number of hot spots in Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) District, South Sumatra, has reached a total of 741 until mid September 2009.

There were 153 hot spots in August, and the number increased to 741 up to September 15, Jama'ani, head of the OKI forestry service's forest fire section, said here on Tuesday.

The OKI hot spots were detected in Tulung Selapan sub district (190 hot spots), Air Sugihan sub district (150), Pampangan sub district (72), Pangkalan Lampam sub district (64), Cengal (60), Pedamaran (53), Pedamaran Timur (39), Mesuji (25), Sungai Menang (29), Lempuing Jaya
(11), Lempuing (11), Mesuji Raya (11), SP Padang (12), Jejawi (6), Kayuagung (5), and Tanjung Lubuk sub district (1 hot spot).

Most of the hot spots were caused by peat soil fires especially in Air Sugihan sub district, he said.

The OKI forestry service and Manggala Agni firefighting unit have been trying to put out the peat fires in Air Sugihan, Pampangan and Tulung Selapan sub districts.

South Sumatra Province has around 1,483,662 hectares of peatland prone to fires, Sigit Wibowo, head of the South Sumatra provincial forestry service, said recently.

To prevent fires , the local authorities had intensified monitoring and campaigns to inform the public not to set fire for opening new farming areas, he said.

The local authorities monitored the peat land areas located in among other things Musibanyuasin and Ogan Komering Ilir with the cooperation of the private sector and state owned companies, he said.

Some 208 fire brigade personnel were ready to anticipate any peat forest fire, he said.

The South Sumatra administration also anticipated fire in its forest areas covering 3,683,670 hectares, plantations covering 1.8 million hectares, and agricultural areas covering 752,000 hectares.