{
  "id": 304623,
  "title": "Indonesia steps up fight to tackle peatland fires in West Kalimantan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/indonesia-steps-up-fight-to-tackle-peatland-fires-in-west-kalimantan",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-08T09:57:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/08/08/indonesia-steps-up-fight-to-tackle-peatland-fires-in-west-kalimantan"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indonesia is ramping up efforts to combat forest and land fires in West Kalimantan, particularly in Kubu Raya, where ground teams and helicopters are being deployed to tackle fires on peatland. According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) chief Suharyanto, peatland fires are especially challenging to extinguish, as embers can persist beneath the surface even after surface flames have been put out. Rain is currently the most effective method to combat these fires, though there are currently few prospects for suitable rain clouds to develop over West Kalimantan. The BNPB announced that West Kalimantan had witnessed 28,680 hectares of land burning between January and June, surpassing the 26,703 hectares recorded throughout all of 2025. This surge in burnt area can be attributed to an extended period without rain and exceptionally high temperatures, as forecasted by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. The agency predicts hotter conditions and a heightened risk of fires over the next three weeks. Separately, BNPB reported that four forest and land fires, collectively affecting 4.5 hectares, had been extinguished in North Sumatra, Central Java, South Sulawesi, and West Java.",
  "summary": "Peatland fires were particularly difficult to extinguish, as embers could remain beneath the surface even after flames above ground had been put out.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}