A wildfire broke out in a palm tree forest earlier this week in Riau province, Sumatra.

The footage, captured on August 21, shows locals and forest officials using palm fronds to douse the flames engulfing the trees.

A huge cloud of smoke can be seen billowing in the air over the forest as a helicopter carries water to perform a drop.

Filmer writes: ''Fires in Riau province have caused hundreds of hectares of oil palm plantations to burn.

''This land and forest fire was triggered by people who burned land to open new agricultural land.''