news excerpts CNA 20/6/07:
With two weeks left to the dry season, farmers in Riau are
preparing to clear their lands using the inexpensive slash-and-burn
method inevitably leading to forest fires again.
Last year, the province recorded almost 9,000 hotspots, said Mr
Sanders. But only about 2 per cent of these took place within
April's plantation areas, which measures more than twice
the size of Singapore.
And this is not solely because of their fire-fighting capabilities,
which includes another 70 full-time fire-fighters, 20 pick-up
trucks, an airboat and a helicopter, said Mr Sanders. This, he
believes, is also due to April's active attempts to provide
economically viable avenues for locals living in its jurisdiction
to steer clear of slash and burn practices.
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