The country is facing a worsening wildfire problem in Kalimantan and Sumatra that make air pollution go up to dangerous levels with thick smoke traveling north to neighbouring Malaysia. Six places in Indonesia were reported with dangerous air quality according to authorities with the Air Pollution Standard Index reading 835 in Pekanbaru.
A prolonged dry season coupled with an intensifying El Niño pattern is triggering the fires and especially the highly combustible peatlands, along with forests. There are thousands of hotspots that have been identified all over Borneo and Sumatra, as well as burnt parcels of land.
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The haze has spread to neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, impacting the air quality and quality of life in parts of Malaysia. Some 200,000 students are out of school, with almost 600 schools shuttered due to dangerous conditions, in Sarapik. Malaysia has also provided support, such as cloud-seeding and other support in the hope of inducing rain in the regions.
Indonesia has significantly stepped up its response with over 24,000 firefighters and emergency response persons deployed as well as helicopters and aircraft to carry out the water bombing and weather modification. President Prabowo Subianto has instructed to release more resources for the worst-hit regions and announced that the parties that are responsible for the fire could be sanctioned.
Seven-ten-two persons suspected of setting fires have also been arrested in connection with 89 forest and land-fire cases in different provinces in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Multiple companies are facing investigation separately for alleged fire-management violations.
The effect on health is growing more dire. Doctors in West Kalimantan are reporting increasing numbers of people suffering from coughing and throat ailments while the government’s Health Ministry estimates millions of people are vulnerable to respiratory infections in Indonesia. The risk for children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with existing respiratory diseases is the highest.
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