Palembang – The number of hot spots in South Sumatra is rising ahead of the peak of the dry season in August.

According to Achmad Taufik, the secretary of the Palembang Forest and Peatland Fire Response division of the South Sumatra Forestry Office, 60 new hotspots have developed since May, based on satellite images.

The hotspots are generally located outside forested areas and have not spread to peat land areas, the potential source of forest fires in South Sumatra. "Most of the hotspots come from land clearance activities by farmers but have not spread to the fire-prone zones. They have not yet caused haze thanks to rain," Taufik said.

The provincial forestry office has set up four fire command posts in fire-prone areas: Kayuagung (Ogan Komering Ilir), Bayunglincir, Pangkalanbalai (Banyuasin) and Merapi Lahat (Lahat), manned by 2,500 trained villagers from 210 villages.