Indonesia, Aug. 19 -- Indonesia's Food Affairs Ministry urged South Kalimantan to mobilize more resources to control forest and land fires as extreme weather and worsening drought increase fire risks.

Deputy Food Affairs Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq made the call in Banjarbaru on Wednesday after leading a strategic coordination meeting on fires in Pengayuan on Tuesday (Aug. 18).

The meeting reviewed projected hotspots and the need for broader resource mobilization to anticipate drought conditions expected to persist for some time, he said.

"Forest and land fires cannot be tackled piecemeal. They require coordinated efforts involving the central and local governments, security forces, communities, and businesses," he said.

After the m...