Forest Fires: Indonesia Deploys 64 Aircraft, 54,000 Crews
The Indonesian government has deployed tens of thousands of personnel and dozens of aircraft to combat expanding forest fires across the archipelago.
Indonesia has deployed 64 aircraft and 54,394 ground crews to combat land and forest fires across the country, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. The government is utilizing all available resources to suppress the fires, minimize smoke impact, and protect public health. Since August, the aircraft have been conducting water bombing missions while the ground teams have been operating in fire hotspots.
These efforts aim to extinguish the blazes, contain their spread, and safeguard communities from health and environmental impacts. The challenging terrain, particularly peatland areas, complicates firefighting efforts in Indonesia. Despite these obstacles, the government remains committed to overcoming them. The air response comprises 55 aircraft from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and nine from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), while the ground force includes personnel from various government agencies, local volunteers, and community members.
As of September 19, 2026, NASA's satellites detected 1,323 high-confidence fire hotspots nationwide, a 777 increase from the previous day.
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