2,000 hectares of land burned in Riau until October 8 2023

PEKANBARU - Governor of Riau, Syamsuar, reported that from January to October 8, 2023, there were 2,169 fire points in the province, resulting in the destruction of 2,029.15 hectares of land due to forest and land fires (karhutla) in the region.

"Out of the 2,029.15 hectares of burned land in Riau, it is spread across various regencies and cities. Rokan Hulu Regency has 50.6 hectares of burned land, followed by Rokan Hilir Regency with 238 hectares," he said in a statement received in Pekanbaru on Monday.

In addition, the burned land includes 115.67 hectares in Dumai City, 398.29 hectares in Bengkalis, 39.05 hectares in Meranti, 50.06 hectares in Siak, 45.97 hectares in Pekanbaru, 193.09 hectares in Kampar, 261.73 hectares in Pelalawan, 349.34 hectares in Indragiri Hulu, 258.85 hectares in Indragiri Hilir, and 28.5 hectares in Kuantan Singingi Regency.

Based on the data from the Riau Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), he mentioned that there are currently no fire points in Sungai Raya and Sekip Hilir, Indragiri Hulu Regency, and cooling efforts are underway.

"The Riau Provincial Government continues its efforts to extinguish the fires by establishing and activating karhutla task forces at the provincial and regency/city levels, as well as field posts at karhutla locations," he stated.