JAKARTA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities detected 1,487 hotspots across Kalimantan as of Thursday as wildfire risk rises, with more than half recorded in Central Kalimantan, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said.
Berton Panjaitan, acting data and communications chief of the BNPB, said satellite monitoring detected 767 hotspots in Central Kalimantan, 560 in West Kalimantan, 74 each in South and East Kalimantan, and three in North Kalimantan.
The BNPB has been coordinating with regional governments to monitor hotspots, identify high-risk areas and strengthen early response measures as the dry season intensifies, Panjaitan said.
Authorities have urged local governments to ensure firefighting personnel and equipment are ready for deployment. Residents have also been warned against burning in fire-prone areas and urged to immediately report any fires.
Indonesia faces recurring forest and land fires during the dry season, particularly in peatland areas of Kalimantan and Sumatra, which can generate widespread haze and significant carbon emissions. ■