Indonesia rescues second orangutan mother and baby as wildfires destroy Kalimantan habitat

Wildfires have ignited near Indonesia's as-yet-uncompleted new capital city, Nusantara, raising concerns among officials and prompting calls for urgent action. The disaster mitigation agency has urged authorities overseeing the project to employ cloud seeding and water-bombing techniques to combat the blazes. These fires have scorched approximately 300 hectares within the forest park at Bukit Suharto, also known as Suharto Hill, situated about 50 kilometers from the city center.

As of September 2, the total area burned across Nusantara amounted to around 400 hectares. President Prabowo Subianto's predecessor, Joko Widodo, initiated the US$32 billion Nusantara capital city project in 2019 to replace Jakarta, which grapples with congestion, flooding, and land subsidence concerns. However, the project has encountered delays and budget cuts since Prabowo assumed office in 2024.

Urban and planning expert Wisnubroto Sarosa contends that Nusantara's location, surrounded by forests, presents a limited water supply, rendering it an unsuitable site for the capital, despite facing less severe fire risks compared to other regions on the island. Indonesia currently dispatches 53 aircraft for water bombing and seeding operations, with Japan contributing additional aircraft and personnel for assistance.

A helicopter is scheduled to be dispatched from neighboring South Kalimantan to assist with water bombing efforts around Nusantara. Although clouds in the area are insufficient for seeding, the disaster agency aims to proceed with cloud seeding when conditions improve. In the meantime, hundreds of Muslims convened in front of the state palace in Nusantara to perform Istisqo prayers, fervently seeking divine intervention in the form of abundant rainfall.