Rains Put out Forest Fires in Riau

Pekanbaru, Riau - Incessant rains in the past three days have extinguished forest fires that emerged recently in several locations in Riau Province. "No fire is seen due to rains that have fallen incessantly in the past three days," a local Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology office staff, Warih Budi Lestari, said here on Sunday. He said three days ago fires were spotted in several locations in Riau especially in places where forest and field fires often occurred such as in Rokan Hilir, Pelalawan, Rokan Hulu districts and Dumai. The number of the fires had already numbered in the dozen and so had the potential to cause smog that could disrupt flight activities at the Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport in Pekanbaru. "Rains may still happen in Riau. Light and medium rains could happen in all districts and towns," he said. Even heavy rains could happen in Kampar, Kuantan Seingingi and Meranti districts, he added. He said concentration of rains would be in the southern, northern, and central part of Riau. "Rains may fall in the afternoon and possibly through the night," he said. Warih said high intensity of rain was expected to happen on Monday, due to a low pressure in the Australian waters and Nusa Tenggar that would accelerate cloud growth that would cause rain. (*)