Bandung – Fires in West Java have decimated at least 3,000 hectares of protected forested land during the first nine months of this year, the head of West Java Forestry Office says.

Wawan Ridwan said Monday fires degraded the condition of about 300,000 hectares of vacant, farm or forested land, dropping from 580,000 ha in 2004.

This year's forest fires were detected in 208 spots in several regencies, including Kuningan, Cirebon, Majalengka and Garut, he said. "We have cooperated closely with people and non-governmental organizations here to extinguish the fires because planes used to drop water from the air are not available," Wawan said.

Most of the fires are deliberately set by farmers to cheaply remove old crops, while fires illegally set in forested areas clear new land for farming and settlements.

The land affected by fires this year dropped because of an aggressive campaign against the practice and a regreening program, the office said.

Data at the local Natural Resources Conservation Agency showed the Cikepuh animal sanctuary in Sukabumi was the worst-hit area, with fires affecting more than 2,070 ha in 58 fire spots between April and Sept. 18.

Mount Ciremai National Park was the second-hardest hit area, with fires clearing 900 hectares in 30 spots, the data says.

"New fire spots were also detected at Mount Tilu in Pengalengan near Bandung regency," agency head Sutandi said.