The number of hotspots are likely to increase in South Sumatra as there were no signs of heavy rain until the end of September, said South Sumatra’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Indra Purnama, an official from Kenten Climatology Station of West Sumatra BMKG, said today dozens of hotspots have been detected in areas including Ogan Komering Ilir, Ogan Ilir and Muara Enim, Indonesia’s Antara news agency reports.

“We need to pay close attention because the number of hotspots would most likely increase,” he said.

Indra said during the peak of the dry season from early September that continues until today, temperature tends to hover around 33-35 degrees Celsius during the day with rainfall below 100 millimetres.

“This has made it necessary to implement anticipatory measures to prevent forest and land fires that could worsen smog in the area,” he said.

Indra urged communities living in areas prone to land and forest fires to boost supervision of their land, farms and nearby forests.

BMKG forecast that smog will continue until mid-October when the rainy season sets in.

Head of South Sumatra’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Yulizar Dinoto said the agency had initiated land and aerial operations to extinguish forest fires.

- Bernama