The five provinces are Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Five governors have declared an emergency alert status in anticipation of land and forest fires in their provinces, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

"The move is aimed at anticipating and preventing land and forest fires," the head of the agencys data and information center and public relations, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said here on Friday.

The five provinces are Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan.

"The other provinves prone to land and forest fires are South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan and North Sumatra but they have not declared alert emergency status," he added.

Following the declaration of such an alert, the BNPB will lend assistance to regional disaster mitigation offices in the five provinces in addressing land and forest fires, he stated.

The BNPB is deploying eight water bombing helicopters, two water bombing planes and two cloud seeding planes to help the air task force.

Three of the water bombing helicopters, two air tractor planes and one cloud seeding plane are deployed in Riau.

South Sumatera received two water bombing helicopters and an air tractor water bombing plane.

Central Kalimantan received two water bombing planes.

Land and forest fires are being handled through five strategies: first involves fire fighting operations on land, fire fighting operations in the air, law enforcement operations.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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