Indonesia requests Russia, Singapore to help put out forest fires

Indonesian Officers on burned peat land during Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, inspects their work of emergency services putting out forest fires in the village of Sakakajang, Indonesia, 24 September 2015. Source: EPA

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said he asked Russia, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan for help in putting out forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

In a statement on the website of the Indonesian cabinet secretary, Widodo said Singapore already started helping, while Russian assistance was expected.

Widodo said he was seeking three aircrafts from Singapore and Russia. Moscow has already offered Jakarta a Beriev Be-200 aircraft.

“We hope this will speed up the process because fires on peat land is different from regular forest fires,” Widodo said.

Global impact of forest fires

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