Medan, N Sumatra, July 20 -- Wildfires have burnt 422 hectares of land in Padang Lawas District, North Sumatra Province, in the past two days amid this year's dry season, a local government official said here Sunday.

Firefighters continued efforts to extinguish the fire, Head of the Emergency Response, Equipment, and Logistics at the North Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Sri Wahyuni Pancasilawati said.

As per the North Sumatra Disaster Emergency Operation Center (Pusdalops PB), the wildfires ravaged certain areas in Sihapas Barumun, Barumun, and Aek Nabara Barumun Subdistricts on July 18-19.

Some 400 of the 422 hectares of land, affected by the wildfires, were found in Gulungan Village (Sihapas Barumun) while the remaining 22...