REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- The Pekanbaru meteorological, climatology and geophysics station (BMKG) has detected 19 hotspots of forest and plantation fires in five provinces on Sumatra Island on Wednesday morning.

The hotspots were found in the provinces of North Sumatra, Jambi, Aceh, Riau, and South Sumatra, BMKG Pekanbaru Chief Sugarin noted in a statement.

In Riau, one hotspot each was detected in the districts of Bengkalis and Meranti, while three hotspots were found in Pelalawan.

The meteorological office has forecast rains in Riau on Wednesday.

Acting Riau Governor Arsyadliandi Rachman said he could not give assurance that the province would be free of forest and plantation fires, which have routinely hit the province for the past 18 years.

"Regarding guarantee, we do not know who could give a guarantee," he affirmed.

The governor has issued Regulation No. 5 of 2015 to prevent forest and plantation fires through coordination with the district and municipal authorities.

The province has also allocated Rp132 billion in funds to anticipate fires by involving the forestry, plantation health, social affairs, disaster mitigation, and environmental affairs offices.

"The province has also been provided financial assistance worth Rp77.3 billion for the district and city administrations to fight forest and plantation fires," he added.

Legal enforcement measures by police and attorney officers against arsonists are also underway.

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