Why Government Should Watch for Potential Chaos in Kalimantan
Health, water and livelihood concerns are growing in Kalimantan as forest and land fires continue to affect communities.
Forest and land fires in Central Kalimantan have led to 72,431 cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI) by mid-August 2026, with Palangka Raya suffering the most at 16,166 cases. The smoke from these fires has caused additional health issues such as eye diseases. Local volunteers have been working to provide relief and shelters for affected communities, but the Central Kalimantan administration's response has been criticized for not being sufficient.
The haze has also caused fuel shortages, power outages, clean water shortages, lower household incomes, disruptions to learning, and limited access to health services. The government is urged to consider these risks when responding to the fires. In West Kalimantan, the haze has been affecting residents for about two months, with air quality deteriorating again between September 11 and 13.
Residents have also faced difficulties accessing clean water, with some using saltwater for daily needs except drinking. Civil society groups have questioned the transparency of government funding for fire management and the effectiveness of law enforcement efforts in fire cases. They have also called for a stronger and more coordinated national response, including declaring the fires a national disaster.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
