ETHIOPIAN press reports say 186 people suspected of starting huge forest fires that have raged for over a month in southern Ethiopia will appear in court early next week. The suspects were arrested at the end of February and are still in detention. Two fires broke out 35 days ago in the Borena and Bale areas, and have so far destroyed around 70000 hectares of forest. Forest fire experts from South Africa and Germany who are helping the Ethiopian authorities fight the blazes say the fires were probably started by unauthorised beekeepers or farmers who wanted to cultivate the land. More than 73000 people, including soldiers and university students, have joined efforts to fight the blazes on the ground, while two Ethiopian helicopters and a South African firespotting plane are battling to control the blaze from the air.