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Indonesia’s Riau, South Sumatra brace themselves for forest fires as El Nino looms
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The two provinces hold the largest share of peatland in Sumatra, covering roughly half of Riau and a quarter of South Sumatra, making them particularly prone to recurring fires.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PEKANBARU, Indonesia – The authorities in Riau and South Sumatra, in Indonesia, are bracing themselves for a surge in forest and peatland fires as the threat of a potential “super El Nino” intensifies, raising the possibility of a prolonged and much hotter dry season.
The two provinces hold the largest share of peatland in Sumatra, covering roughly half of Riau and a quarter of South Sumatra, making them particularly prone to recurring fires.
