Jakarta – About 3,000 civilians have been roped in to help put out forest fires in the Indonesian province of Riau which have caused pollution to hit hazardous levels and the authorities to close kindergartens and put clinics on 24-hour standby.

Riau Forestry Department head Darminto Sutomo said that the department had deployed 251 firemen but this was insufficient to handle the more than 300 hot spots in the province.

"While we are recruiting more firemen from the Forestry Department, some 3,000 students of higher learning and civilians have joined the fire-fighting forces after the province was put on alert," he said when contacted in Pekan Baru on Friday. He said the move to recruit the students had helped to reduce the number of hot spots in the province.

The official expressed unhappiness with the attitude of Indonesian farmers, whom he said were responsible for the fires which led to the hazardous haze levels.

"Initial investigation found most of the fires were set by farmers and estate owners to carry out land-clearing activities," he said.

He said the department had taken legal action against two plantation companies involved in open burning and was investigating several others.

Meanwhile, Riau provincial health office head Rusmawi Rifin said: "After receiving reports, it turns out that the particle content in the air has now reached dangerous levels and therefore, we are calling on kindergartens to close down their activities." It has also recommended that outdoor sports activities be cancelled.

Ash particles in the air had reached 500 PSI (Pollution Standard Index), far above the dangerous level of 301, he was quoted by the Media Indonesia daily as saying.

He said kindergartens had to be closed as the presence of ash particles was especially dangerous for small children who were more prone to lung and respiratory infections.

For higher-school levels, Mr Rifin said the authorities could only call on them to reduce open-air activities. The Riau meteorology station in Pekanbaru, the main city in the province, said visibility was between 500 and 700 metres at 7am yesterday but had cleared slightly to 1,800 metres three hours later. Several hospitals in Riau have been crowded with patients suffering from respiratory problems, prompting the authorities to instruct hospitals and clinics on 24-hour readiness. A private hospital director said a large number of patients comprised children below five years old.