Drier Drought, Increased Risk of Forest Fires

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

A seedling grows in the cracked, dry soil at a farm on Thursday (4/7/2019) in Sumberejo village of Mranggen district, Demak regency, Central Java. Farmers dig the land to access underground water when irrigation canals dry up and switch to cultivating secondary crops and tobacco during the dry season.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — This year\'s dry season has been drier compared to previous years, increasing the risk of drought and forest fires across the country. Several regions are experiencing severe drought, even though the dry season has not yet peaked.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), drought has hit several regions of Java and southern Madura.