A preventable disaster
Increased vigilance and prevention are the best defense in battling forest and land fires.
Fires raging in parts of Indonesia have left a devastating impact, with burned areas surpassing those from the same period in 2019, which was already one of the country's most destructive fire seasons. The surge in fire activities ahead of a strong El Niño phase has raised concerns among officials and experts. Over 107,000 hectares of land and forest have been ravaged nationwide in the first half of the year, a staggering 120% increase compared to the same period in 2019.
Satellite images have revealed haze in several regions, indicating the widespread nature of the crisis. Despite the strong El Niño phase affecting over 70% of Indonesia's seasonal zones, the peak burning months are expected to persist until October.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
