Jakarta – Forest fires and hot spots in Kalimantan are spreading at a rate of more than 100 a day over the past week, an Environment Ministry official said.

"The latest report on Saturday from our staff in west, central and east Kalimantan says that the number of hot spots has reached 400, while on Thursday and Friday, their numbers were 200 and 300 respectively," Deputy Minister for Ecosystem Maintenance Sudariyono said on Sunday.

He said the quick spread of fires was caused by strong winds in some areas. Local ministry officials as well as plantation and forest agencies had been trying to stem the spread of the fires, he added.