Indonesia closes 9 national parks temporarily following forest fires; prioritises firefighting in 6 provinces
Indonesia is battling fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra, with some areas in Borneo remaining blanketed by “hazardous” levels of haze.
Indonesia has temporarily closed nine national parks to hikers as it prioritizes firefighting efforts in six provinces, stricken by forest fires. The closures affect Bromo Tengger Semeru, Kerinci Seblat, Mount Ciremai, Tambora, Manusela, Bukit Baka Bukit Raya, Mount Gede Pangrango, Mount Leuser, and certain routes in Lorentz National Parks.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that the preventive measures ensure firefighting resources remain focused on priority areas. Some water-bombing helicopters were diverted from the six provinces with ongoing fires to help with park firefighting operations. A recent incident involved 170 stranded hikers rescued from Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
Earlier this month, a fire burned nearly 550 hectares in the same park. Indonesia is battling fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra, where "widespread hotspots" were reported. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre noted "moderate to dense transboundary smoke plumes" covering parts of Kalimantan, Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and the Philippines.
On Tuesday, Pontianak and Palangkaraya in West Kalimantan were among the most polluted cities in Indonesia.
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