Cognizant of the fact that peatland fires can last for months, Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan refuses to predict when the forest fires will be extinguished. "Right now there are hotspots in about 50 to 60 points," he said. "But they cannot be made a yardstick." The windy dry season can come back to rekindle the flames.

Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya accused palm oil plantations owned by eight Malaysian companies of being the cause of the