Since June 2015, there has been a huge forest fire in Riau, Sumatra. Indonesia has now declared a state of emergency in Riau ever since forest fires has affected their air quality in the most terrifying way.

Causes of forest fires:

According to BNPB - Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (National Board for Disaster Management), 90% of forest fires are caused by humans, intentionally. Humans clears the land for a chance to earn money by putting up Palm Oil industries, housings, or other industries that use natural products. Humans clears the land because they do not want to spend the extra money on clearing up the land used. They find it much easier to just burn the area instead. 

The current suspect for the forest fire happening in Riau is the Palm Oil company. BNPB suspects the Palm Oil company as one of the cause of the fire. 

Some causes of forest fires done by humans:

• Shifting cultivation— cutting down of trees and burning them then stuffing them in the soil to make it more fertile.
• Clearing of land to save money
• out-of-control campfire
• discarded burning cigarette

Some natural causes of forest fires:

• Lightning strike
• Lava

Effect of forest fires towards its surroundings:

Currently, the major effects of forest fires towards its surroundings are the massive increase in air pollution in its area and surrounding areas. Smog has been taking over most of Riau?s air along with some of Singapore?s, Malaysia?s and Jakarta?s. Riau?s forest fire has also caused in the ozone layer depletion because it is giving off huge amounts of GHGs. This forest fire also has an effect on our health such as respiratory problems, lung cancer, skin cancer, sore eyes, cough, runny nose and many more. 

For now, there is nothing we can do to stop the fire. All we can do is just wait and let the authorities do the job but there is something you can do that might help. This is a traditional way of making rain come sooner. 

• Mix water with sea salt in a bucket and leave it outside to evaporate at between 11 o?clock to 1 o?clock. The water vapour would condense into clouds and rain will come sooner. This will help the fire die down as right now, it is dry season in Indonesia. 

Though in my opinion this might not work as the clouds might not even reach Riau but it is still worth the try. What do you think?

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/sep/18/indonesia-arrests-seven-company-executives-for-illegal-forest-fires

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/indonesia-accepts/2119608.html