Forest Fires Expand, Riau Provincial Government Add Helicopter Assistance

PeKANBARU - Riau Provincial Government (Pemprov) received an additional helicopter support from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to monitor the increasingly widespread forest and land fires.

"With the addition of one patrol helicopter, a total of three forest and land fire patrol helicopters are on standby in Riau Province," said Head of the Riau Province Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) M Edy Afrizal as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, May 30.

He added that one of the three helicopters alerted to support forest and land fire monitoring patrol activities was assisted by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK).

In addition to receiving helicopter support for patrols, Edy said, Riau received three helicopters for water bombing operations from BNPB.

According to him, the support of three helicopters for patrols and three helicopters for water bombing made it easier for task forces to monitor and tackle forest and land fires in the Riau region.

"Thank you to the central government through BNPB and KLHK for providing full support for efforts to prevent and control the fire disaster in Riau," he said.

Edy said that helicopter assistance had been used to deal with forest and land fires that occurred in the Kubu sub-district, Rokan Hilir Regency, and Rupat Island, Bengkalis Regency.