Indonesia haze forces schools to close as wildfires intensify amid severe dry season

Indonesia is grappling with the intensification of wildfires during its severe dry season, forcing numerous schools to close. As of August 11, 2026, over 107,000 hectares have been burned, with nearly 50,000 personnel deployed to contain the blazes. El Nino is exacerbating drought conditions and increasing the risk of fires across the archipelago.

In West Kalimantan, Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono ordered schools to suspend in-person classes, as thick haze from wildfires disrupted daily life in the city. Children are studying from home until air quality improves. The mayor did not specify the exact number of affected schools but acknowledged the severity of the haze.

Meanwhile, firefighters have been battling a wildfire at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java for a ninth consecutive day. Over 900 hectares have been destroyed by August 11, equivalent to more than 1,200 football fields and nearly 2 percent of the park's total area. The popular tourist attraction has been closed to visitors since August 8.

Authorities are employing various strategies to combat the fires, including deploying water-bombing helicopters, fire trucks, and mobilizing 48,000 personnel across six provinces. Security Minister Djamari Chaniago announced the use of 43 helicopters and up to 15 fixed-wing aircraft for cloud-seeding operations to encourage rainfall. However, the effectiveness of this technique depends on the presence of suitable clouds.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) predicts an unusually severe dry season in 2026, citing heightened risks of drought and wildfires due to the El Nino weather phenomenon. July 2026 saw the highest average temperature for the month since 1991, with an average temperature of 27 degrees Celsius.