JAKARTA, 26 September 2007 - Indonesia has rented two helicopters to cope with the returning forest fires which cause a haze over the region regularly. "The government has brought in two helicopters to overcome the forest fires," said Malem Sambet Kaban, forestry minister. He said that the two rented helicopters, Russian Kamov Ka-32A helicopters rented from South Korea, will be used in West and Central Kalimantan, the two provinces that were most affected.

Kaban told that the number of hot spots in the two provinces was rising, as Indonesia enters it's peak season for the human-made forest fires. So far, wet weather and favorable winds have prevented an early onset of the smog that blankets parts of mainland Southeast Asia. The fires were mostly lit on private farms to clear forested area's and remaining crops.

Despite a governmental ban on lighting fires and weak enforcement, the cheap clearing method is persisting. Activists insist the fires are also caused by palm oil plantations clearing tropical peat land areas to plant oil palms. The helicopters are capable of carrying 5,000 liters of water and were initially rented for 320 flying hours for 26 billion Rupiah (2 million euro).

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