The number of hot spots – which are used as indicators of forest and peat land fires – in Indonesia has significantly decreased in recent days, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said on November 1.
Currently, there are only 402 hot spots, a significant drop compared to over 2,200 detected several weeks ago, a BNPB spokesperson was quoted as saying.
The air quality in Sumatra and Kalimantan has improved remarkably with better visibility, he added.
The increasing rain intensity in the two areas between October 26 and 30 this year along with the artificial rain induced by the BNPB have contributed to improved conditions.
The Banjarmasin Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecasts rain in the coming days in the two regions.
Last month, Indonesia quickly built a canal system to pump water from the Kahiyang river to peat land regions to prevent wildfires.
This model will be applied in all fire-prone areas across provinces in the country to reduce the number of hot spots in the future.
Earlier, Indonesian President Joko Widodo inspected a canal block development project in Pulang Pisau district.-VNA
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A forest fire in Indonesia (Source: Reuters/VNA) 
