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           Indonesia Starting Firefighting Early as Dry Season Begins

   by Associated Press

   Indonesia's top security minister says authorities have begun efforts
   to fight forest and peat land fires that often pollute the region's air
   as the country's dry season begins.

   Luhut Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for politics, legal and
   security, said Friday the government does not want to repeat mistakes
   made last year when a lack of prevention resulted in fires burning out
   of control.

   Most of the fires are started deliberately to clear land for
   agriculture or pulp wood plantations.

   The Riau provincial government declared a state of emergency on Monday
   after fires in at least three districts began spreading rapidly because
   of strong winds. More than 700 police and soldiers have been deployed
   to extinguish the fires.

   The province was the most severely affected by forest fires last year.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/ap-indonesia-starting-firefighting-ea
   rly-as-dry-season-begins/3231453.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/ap-indonesia-starting-firefighting-early-as-dry-season-begins/3231453.html