Indonesia fast-tracks foreign aircraft to fight forest fires

Indonesia has dispatched an additional 1,500 troops to Borneo to combat wildfires that have ravaged large swathes of the island, according to an official. The deployment comes as the government grapples with the thick smog created by the blazes, which have blanketed some areas in dense smoke. Between January and July, the fires scorched over 200,000 hectares of land, an area three times the size of Jakarta, the capital city.

Prime Minister Prabowo Subianto, who visited Borneo to spearhead wildfire response meetings, ordered the increased troop deployment. Six helicopters are also set to arrive shortly to assist in waterbombing operations, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. The government is closely monitoring the situation, mobilizing resources to contain the spread of the flames.

President Prabowo emphasized the need to immediately halt the progression of the fire spots. Smoke from the fires has prompted local authorities to advise residents in Borneo to wear masks and limit outdoor activities. The smoke has also drifted into Malaysian Borneo, with six areas of Sarawak state recording "unhealthy" air quality.

The area burned is already larger than during previous El Nino seasons in 2019 and 2023, though it is not as extensive as in 2015, during a particularly intense El Nino event. El Nino, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon, brings worldwide changes in wind, air pressure, and rainfall patterns, typically resulting in drought conditions in Indonesia.

The phenomenon is exacerbated by human-induced climate change, as warmer ocean and atmospheric conditions provide more energy and moisture to fuel extreme weather events.