Indonesia closes schools as wildfire haze worsens

Dozens of Indonesian schools have been closed for a second day as thick smoke from wildfires hovers over the archipelago, exacerbated by the early onset of an intense dry season intensified by El Nino. In West Kalimantan, the mayor of Pontianak announced the closure of public schools, citing the smoke drifting into the city from other fire locations.

The mayor estimated hundreds of thousands of students will continue learning from home until air quality improves. On Java, firefighters have been battling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park for nine days, resulting in the loss of over 900 hectares of park land. This blaze is one of numerous wildfires across the country, with nearly 50,000 firefighters deployed nationwide.

Indonesia anticipates a particularly challenging dry season this year due to high drought and wildfire risks, exacerbated by El Nino. So far this year, more than 107,000 hectares have burned. Firefighters at the Bromo park have deployed all available resources, including three water-bombing helicopters and fire trucks supporting around 200 personnel.

Security Minister Djamari Chaniago revealed that 43 helicopters and up to 15 fixed-wing planes have been utilized for cloud seeding, a process that generates rainfall in areas with suitable cloud conditions. El Nino, a climate phenomenon affecting global weather, has heightened the risk of drier conditions in Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and beyond.

In 2023 and 2024, the global average temperature reached a record high due to El Nino. The land area affected by wildfires in Indonesia this year is twice the amount burned in 2023.