Pandemi covid belum usai, masyarakat Riau kembali dihadapkan dengan ancaman kebakaran hutan dan lahan. Berdasarkan data dari BPBD Provinsi Riau, sejak Januari 2021 hingga kini luas lahan yang terbakar mencapai lebih kurang 248 hektar. Dilansir dari harian detik (24/2), Kepala Pelaksana BPBD, Riau Edwar Sanger, mengatakan karhutla sudah melanda 8 daerah di Riau. Luas lahan terbakar bervariasi, dari 4 sampai 82 hektar.

Thousands of schools were shut in Sumatra this week due to worsening haze from forest and land burnings as fire hotspots were detected in concession and non-concession areas, media reports said.

Eyes on the Forest coalition conducted last week series of ground checking on burned areas and found a concession of industrial timber supplier in Rokan Hilir district and peat restoration priority areas in Bengkalis razed by fires. The restoration areas were also situated on land of indicative map on new permit issuance suspension (dubbed as PIPPIB).

A legislator from Riau questioned the government who used helicopter facilities from a forestry and plantation company to monitor forest and land fires in the province.