Indonesian authorities are racing to contain wildfires that have burned more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of land and forced the deployment of nearly 50,000 firefighters. Dozens of schools remained shut for a second consecutive day on Tuesday due to poor air quality from smoke emanating from the fires.
In West Kalimantan province on the island of Borneo, which Indonesia shares with Malaysia and Brunei, the mayor of Pontianak city ordered schools closed as smoke from fires elsewhere blanketed the city. Students will learn online from home until air quality improves, Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono said in a statement on Monday.
The El Nino phenomenon has contributed to dry conditions across the archipelago, increasing the risk of wildfires. Authorities are prioritizing firefighting efforts in six provinces: Riau, Jambi, and South Sumatra on Sumatra island, along with West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan on Borneo.
Speaking to the press on Monday, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago warned that dry conditions heighten the potential for fires to spread. "We are in a state of alert because the weather conditions could really make the fires bigger," Chaniago said. El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon that triggers global changes in winds, air pressure, and rainfall. In India and Southeast Asia, it typically brings drier conditions.
Authorities are attempting to stimulate rainfall using cloud-seeding technology. Chemicals such as silver iodide and salt are sprayed into clouds, which can boost precipitation by up to 15%. However, Chaniago noted that finding suitable rain clouds remains a challenge. "That is why we closely monitor even minor weather shifts. Whenever there is a possibility of rain clouds forming, we immediately carry out cloud-seeding operations," he said.
On Tuesday, firefighters were among more than 150 personnel working to extinguish the remaining blaze in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java province. The fire, which has destroyed about 900 hectares (2,200 acres) since it began nine days ago, is now nearly contained, covering only about 2 hectares (5 acres).
More than a dozen aircraft have been deployed across Indonesia for cloud-seeding operations, along with 43 helicopters supporting ground crews. According to Forestry Ministry data, over 107,000 hectares (264,000 acres) of land nationwide have been affected by fires from January to June, a 110% increase compared with the same period in 2023, when El Nino last impacted Indonesia.
