TheJakartaPost.com - JAMBI, Jambi: The Jambi forestry office is fighting hundreds of illegally set fires in the province and has reduced haze-causing hot spots by more than half, an official says.

Forest control center secretary Frans Tandipau said 248 fires had previously affected six out of the 10 regions in Jambi.

However, due to the aggressive efforts of the office, now only 105 fires are blazing in four regencies, he said.

"Our officers are still busy extinguishing the fires."

Frans said so far this dry season firefighters had been deployed 14 times in the province.

Forest fires in the province were most often set by residents to clear land for agriculture or palm oil plantations, he said.

"If the fires are left unattended, they will likely burn conservation areas and plantations," he said. -- JP