REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has spent Rp 600 billion to handle land and forest fires. The funds were counted from the beginning of the year until October 2015.

Head of Data, Information, and Public Relations of BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, stated that prevention became the best move than extinguishing forest and land fires. Compared with the spending of last year, this year's spending has increased.

"Last year was Rp 620 billion until the end of year, this year is definitely bigger because fires are wider and longer," said Sutopo, Wednesday (28/10).

He explained that the Rp 600 billion that were already used by BNPB, were for the procurement of equipment to extinguish fires. Mostly funds were for the lease and operation of aircraft and helicopters, both for water bombing and artificial rain.

Additionally, the funds were also used for operational costs of TNI personnel and the activation of posts. He also explained, BNPB distributed millions of ordinary and N-95 masks to people in smog area.

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