Indonesia asks for foreign help to extinguish forest fires

JAKARTA — Indonesia has asked other countries for help in extinguishing forest fires that have caused widespread haze in Southeast Asia.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said Thursday that assistance is expected from Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and Japan.

He said he hopes the help will accelerate efforts to put out forest fires that are burning on peat land.

Indonesia has already deployed about 25,840 soldiers, police and fire personnel in six provinces to fight the fires, together with 25 aircraft used for water-dropping and cloud-seeding operations.

According to the Indonesian National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, 1,303 fires are currently burning across the country, mostly on Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi islands.