Indonesia wildfire razes nearly 300 homes in Bangka Belitung
A forest fire on Indonesia's Sumatra island has destroyed nearly 300 homes in Bangka Belitung province, forcing hundreds of residents to flee. Local officials said the blaze moved rapidly toward a settlement after wind direction changed over peatland in the area. The fire has added to a wider pattern of severe wildfires and haze affecting parts of the country during the dry season.South Bangka regency head Riza Herdavid said residents first noticed the fire approaching their village on Saturday and tried to extinguish it themselves using portable water pumps. He said the fire had been smouldering beneath peatland before the... [Continue Reading]
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