Indonesia's worst wildfires in 11 years turn skies orange, choking millions

Drivers wearing protective masks make their way through smoke-filled roads in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, on Wednesday (local time). [EPA·X]

Indonesia is battling its worst wildfires in 11 years, with toxic haze threatening the daily lives of millions of residents. Skies over parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra have turned a deep orange, and air pollution levels have soared to readings that pose serious health risks.

Indonesia is experiencing its most severe wildfire season since 2015, according to BBC and Reuters. An estimated 900,000 hectares have burned since January — roughly 12 times the land area of Singapore.

In Palangkaraya, the Central Kalimantan provincial capital at the heart of the disaster, the air quality index (ISPU) hit 1,231 on Friday. The reading in Palembang, South Sumatra, climbed to 1,148. Any reading above 300 is classified as "hazardous." In the Katingan district of Central Kalimantan, the index approached 1,600 on Thursday.

Drivers wearing protective masks navigate smoke-choked roads in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, on Wednesday (local time). [EPA]

Residents are reporting stinging eyes, runny noses, throat irritation and dry coughs. Hundreds of thousands of people across seven Indonesian provinces have been treated for respiratory illnesses. Visibility on roads has dropped sharply as the haze thickens, disrupting travel and daily life.

Adinata, a 46-year-old resident of Palangkaraya, told Reuters that the sky had turned "so yellow" and that people had drastically cut back on outdoor activity because of the conditions. Imrayedi, a 63-year-old motorcycle taxi driver in Pekanbaru, Sumatra, told BBC he was struggling to breathe and suffering from severe headaches. "But I still have to work," he said.

Residents have also taken to social media to draw attention to the dire situation. "I don't know how the government is handling this. It's a state of emergency and a climate disaster, but firefighting equipment and facilities are severely lacking," one Indonesian citizen wrote on X. Another shared photos of Palangkaraya's blood-red sky, writing: "The whole world needs to know."

A man wearing a protective mask photographs the haze-shrouded landscape along the Kahayan River in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia, on Wednesday (local time). [Reuters]

The fires have been fueled by drought and prolonged dry weather brought on by a strong El Niño. Parched forests and land have become highly combustible, and the practice of burning vegetation to clear land for palm oil and other crops has further accelerated the spread of the fires.

Peatlands in Kalimantan and Sumatra are particularly difficult to extinguish. Peat is a soil formed from layers of decomposed plant matter that can smolder underground for extended periods, releasing dense smoke. Even after surface flames appear to be out, embers can survive beneath the ground and reignite, complicating firefighting efforts.

Criticism of the government's response is mounting. Residents and civic groups in West Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, filed a class-action lawsuit to hold authorities accountable for failing to prevent the fires and the resulting haze. They allege that officials were negligent in fire prevention and in overseeing firefighting operations, and are demanding medical support for affected residents and measures to prevent a recurrence.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered authorities to intensify firefighting efforts and crack down on arson. The government has deployed cloud seeding, aerial water bombing and military personnel, and has now begun experimenting with dry ice to reduce the haze. On Thursday, authorities moved to disperse 1.5 metric tons of dry ice from aircraft over Palembang in South Sumatra.

Experts warn, however, that dry ice dispersal alone cannot resolve the wildfire and haze crisis. The haze can continue spreading to other regions on the wind, and air pollution is likely to recur unless the underground peat fires are fully extinguished.

bbo@heraldcorp.com