JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia has ramped up both ground and aerial firefighting efforts as extensive blazes continue to devastate central and western regions, sending hazardous smoke across cities and into neighboring countries.
Authorities have taken decisive action against those responsible, with Indonesian police apprehending 72 individuals suspected of intentionally setting forest fires. Additionally, four companies face investigations for allegedly utilizing fire to clear land as a cost-cutting measure.
Emergency response teams have been engaged in relentless efforts against fires intensified by a strengthening El Niño pattern and an extended dry season. The resulting thick smoke has drifted into Malaysia and Brunei, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
Multiple regions continue to experience active fire conditions, the agency reported. Large-scale suppression operations persist across fire-prone provinces, including West, Central, and South Kalimantan on Borneo, as well as Riau, South Sumatra, and Jambi on Sumatra. These fires are part of a significant escalation in wildfire activity throughout Indonesia this year.
Drought conditions, strong winds, and parched vegetation have hindered firefighting progress, the BNPB stated. Certain hotspots remain unreachable for the more than 24,000 ground personnel deployed across Sumatra and Borneo, prompting regional authorities to request additional water-bombing resources.
President Prabowo Subianto toured areas severely affected by forest and peatland fires in Central Kalimantan on Saturday before proceeding to Riau and South Sumatra on Monday, where over 36,000 hectares have burned across 10 provinces. The president urged officials to intensify their efforts in controlling the pollution cloud.
Prabowo affirmed the government’s commitment to supporting firefighting operations, including deploying additional water-bombing helicopters and providing oxygen supplies to firefighters. He instructed authorities to thoroughly document and report all firefighting activities directly to him.
The president also emphasized the need for enhanced public education and outreach, announcing that approximately 1,000 military and police personnel would be deployed alongside regional authorities to raise awareness and prevent forest and land fires.
Recent satellite data from the Environment Ministry revealed that South Sumatra has the highest concentration of hotspots nationally, with 1,429 detected. West Kalimantan followed with 1,226 hotspots, while Central Kalimantan recorded 811. East Kalimantan logged 576 hotspots, ahead of Riau with 503, while West Papua and Jambi reported 468 and 458 respectively.
Forestry Ministry data showed that nearly 94,000 hectares were consumed by fire during July alone.
The Transportation Ministry has approved the use of 35 internationally registered aircraft to support wildfire response operations, including water-bombing missions and aerial surveillance. These aircraft can be quickly repositioned to affected areas as conditions evolve, while maintaining compliance with Indonesian aviation safety standards.
Indonesia is actively conducting weather modification operations to assist firefighters, employing cloud seeding techniques that disperse salt particles into appropriate clouds to induce rainfall. Thirty aircraft are assigned to water-bombing and cloud-seeding operations over Kalimantan, while 22 helicopters provide coverage across Sumatra.
Malaysia announced Monday that Indonesia has authorized Malaysian aircraft to enter Indonesian airspace for cloud-seeding operations along their shared border as both nations intensify their response to the deteriorating air quality.
Malaysia is developing an operational plan and stands prepared to offer assistance to Indonesia upon request, stated Environment Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup. He emphasized that these measures are essential for improving air quality as Malaysia prepares to observe National Day on August 31, commemorating its independence from British rule.
Commemorations for Malaysia Day on September 16, marking the nation’s unification, will take place in Sarawak on Borneo, one of the regions most significantly impacted by the haze, Kurup noted.
Nearly 600 schools in Sarawak suspended operations last week as air quality declined, affecting approximately 200,000 students. Officials anticipate that hot and dry conditions will persist through October.
Fires remain an annual challenge during Indonesia’s dry season across this expansive archipelago of over 17,000 islands, frequently creating diplomatic tensions with neighboring nations.
Plantation operators and traditional farmers frequently employ fire to clear land for agricultural purposes, triggering dangerous haze that diminishes visibility, disrupts transportation, and poses public health risks that occasionally affect neighboring countries throughout Southeast Asia.
Ng reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.