DRY weather in Indonesia up till September is causing increased risk of forest and land fires, raising fears of a repeat of the 2015 cross-border smoke disaster.

Satellite images showed 170 hot spots across Indonesia with 35 in Aceh, 44 in east Nusa Tenggara and 21 in West Kalimantan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority, Bloomberg reported today.

Illegal burning to clear land for palm oil plantations and other agriculture activities in Indonesia in 2015 caused the worst smoke disaster in the region in years, shutting down schools, air travel and even forcing some in Indonesia to evacuate from their homes.

The smoke had also cost Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s biggest economy, US$16.1 billion (RM69 billion) in losses according to World Bank estimates.

Bloomberg reported that the 2015 disaster had prompted several palm oil giants, including Sime Darby Bhd and IOI Corp Bhd, to increase efforts to prevent forest fires.

The companies have now joined the Free Fire Alliance to support Indonesian government efforts to prevent land burning. – July 25, 2017.