Prabowo orders coordinated measures against Indonesia wildfires
Indonesia's government has mobilised a multi-agency task force to contain fires that have burned about 107,000 hectares nationwide in a bid to prevent transboundary haze, said Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has called for coordinated efforts to combat forest and land fires exacerbated by drought and the El Nino phenomenon, which have scorched approximately 107,000 hectares nationwide. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi disclosed that the government has deployed a multi-agency task force, along with 43 helicopters and over 10 aircraft, to carry out water-bombing operations in an attempt to extinguish the wildfires.
Authorities are also focusing on aerial and ground operations to prevent the transboundary haze from affecting neighboring Southeast Asian countries. The fires have significantly impacted schools in Pontianak city, Borneo, with the mayor ordering closures for two days to protect students from the smoke. Efforts to tackle the fires include the use of flexible tanks to ensure a consistent water supply in challenging terrains and the preparation of weather modification technology to stimulate rainfall over affected areas.
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