Four people battling a forest fire in a national park on Indonesia's Java island have died, the country's Forestry Ministry said, as Indonesia confronts its most severe fire season in more than a decade.
According to a statement on Friday, the victims were surrounded by flames on Thursday at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java. Two others were seriously burned and are receiving medical treatment.
Reuters reported that the fires have spread beyond Indonesia's borders, blanketing neighboring countries in haze. The Forestry Ministry did not release the identities of the victims.
In a statement, the ministry expressed its "deepest condolences" and acknowledged the "courage and dedication" of officials, volunteers and residents working on the firebreak lines.
The ministry stressed that the deaths were "a reminder that fighting forest and land fires is a high-risk operation," and said safety "must be the top priority." Measures cited include monitoring the direction the fire and wind are moving, preparing evacuation routes in advance, and assessing conditions before and during operations.
Hotspots multiply
The islands of Sumatra and Borneo, near Singapore and Malaysia, are among the worst-affected areas.
The Forestry Ministry said its satellite system detected 799 high-confidence hotspots nationwide as of Thursday evening, up 427 from a day earlier. The ministry noted that a hotspot does not equate to a fire, since a single fire can be recorded as multiple hotspots.
According to Reuters, Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved accepting aid from neighboring countries.
Malaysia last month offered to send three helicopters, one aircraft and 52 personnel, but no further action has followed, Reuters reported. Singapore has also said it is ready to help.
Indonesia has faced criticism over the fires, which have caused hundreds of thousands of people to suffer respiratory problems and forced Malaysia and East Timor to close schools, according to Reuters.
