News
IndonesiaThe latest on News from our Indonesia desk.
Indonesia Gives Tabalong $613,000 for Forest Fire Response
Indonesia’s government has allocated Tabalong about $613,000 to support wildfire operations, including fuel and supplies for volunteer crews. The funding comes as officials report fires across three districts, with separate agency counts showing different estimates of affected land. Local authorities say they will coordinate spending with disaster-response teams and volunteer groups, while crews continue work at a fire site in Muara Uya district.
Indonesia Deploys Dry Ice Weather Modification Against Haze
Indonesia’s weather agency says it may be the first country to deploy dry ice weather modification at scale in field operations to tackle smoke from forest and land fires. The effort involves the national disaster agency, but officials have not provided details on where it took place or measured results. The distinction, the agency says, is operational use rather than being first to research the technique.
Muhammadiyah Urges Businesses to Take Responsibility for Fires
Indonesia’s Muhammadiyah organization is urging companies to prevent forest and land fires through concrete action, face legal consequences if found responsible, and restore damage and losses. Chairman Haedar Nashir also called on the government to strengthen oversight, review risky permits and reform the management of forests and land. The appeal comes as the organization presses for year-round prevention and enforcement, rather than action only after fires break out.
Ombudsman Finds Gaps in Aid for Indonesia Quake Victims
Indonesia’s Ombudsman says aid for earthquake victims in East Nusa Tenggara has not consistently reflected damage levels and needs on the ground. Its monitoring also flagged delays in housing plans while verified victim data awaits review by the national disaster agency, as well as barriers to education access.
Indonesia Firms Face Singapore Action Over Haze Fires
Singapore has sent enforcement letters to three more Indonesian companies over smoke linked to fires in Kalimantan, bringing the total facing legal proceedings there to 10. Indonesia’s security minister, Dudung Abdurrahman, acknowledged corporate involvement in forest and land fires while explaining why the government had not declared a national disaster. Singapore’s environmental agency says the companies must deploy firefighting personnel and follow prevention plans on their concessions.
Kalimantan Forest Fires Send Haze Across Borders
Forest fires spanning tens of thousands of hectares in Kalimantan have produced hazardous haze affecting residents and strained relations with neighboring countries. The source says bans alone are not enough, but provides no details on the fires’ location, causes or response. Information on air quality and the number of people affected is also unavailable.
Muhammadiyah Warns Against Normalizing Indonesia’s Annual Fires
Indonesia’s Muhammadiyah organization says forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan must not be accepted as a recurring annual disaster. In a nine-point statement, it cited harm to public health, education and livelihoods, and urged scrutiny of land management, oversight and alleged violations.
Prabowo Orders Broader Forest Fire Response, Hercules Air Support
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a broader response to forest and land fires, including expanded aerial operations using Hercules aircraft. After a limited meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday, Oct. 19, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the order also called for the military, police, forestry officials and residents to act together without waiting for rain.
Gerindra Urges Prabowo to Review Forestry Minister Over Fires
Gerindra spokesman Kamrussamad said Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni should face a serious performance review over forest and land fires affecting communities. Speaking at a Jakarta discussion marking two years of the Prabowo-Gibran government, he said weak oversight in fire-prone areas warranted attention. Gerindra said it would accept a reshuffle if the review led to one, but no presidential decision or response from the minister was reported.
Singapore Warned 7 Firms Over Fires; Lutfi Demands Action
Former Indonesian trade minister Muhammad Lutfi is pressing Singapore to go beyond warning letters sent to seven companies linked to forest and land fires in Indonesia. Citing an October 2026 Greenpeace report, he said four companies were connected to business groups listed on the Singapore Exchange and questioned whether Singapore would address the wider corporate structures behind their operations.
Indonesia Eyes Next Week for Peatland and Mangrove Agency
Indonesia expects to inaugurate a national peatland and mangrove management agency next week, but has not confirmed the date or its future chief. Dudung mentioned Professor Satyawan as a possible leader while stressing the information was unconfirmed. The agency plan emerged as President Prabowo Subianto’s government discussed forest and land fires in six provinces, where thick smoke has hampered aerial firefighting and forced crews to rely more heavily on ground operations.
Indonesia Wildfire Smoke Disrupts Nearly 2,500 Flights
Wildfire smoke disrupted 2,458 scheduled domestic flights in Indonesia from Aug. 11 to Oct. 17, causing delays, cancellations, diversions and schedule changes. The disruption also affected international and pioneer routes, with airports across several regions reporting impacts. Indonesia’s transport authorities have called for low-visibility procedures and clearer passenger information as airlines adjust operations for changing conditions.
Latimojong Fire Spreads, Sulawesi Hiking Route Stays Closed
A wildfire on Mount Latimojong in South Sulawesi has burned for seven days and spread to three hiking posts, a local guide says. The route has been closed since late August after an earlier fire, with no reopening date set as residents cite dry forest conditions.
Cak Imin Sends 12,000 Liters of Clean Water to Fire-Hit OKI
PKB chairman Muhaimin Iskandar sent 12,000 liters of clean water to residents affected by forest and land fires in Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. The delivery addresses an immediate household need, while separate reports highlight health risks from wildfire smoke and calls for clean-air shelters. The reports cite differing figures for respiratory infections, each with its own scope and attribution.
Four Firefighters Killed in Bromo Blaze, Indonesia Urges Safety
Four personnel died and two suffered burns while fighting a wildfire in Indonesia’s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on Oct. 15, 2026. The National Disaster Management Agency urged teams to prioritize risk assessments, continuous monitoring, evacuation routes and communications as wind, terrain and shifting fire behavior can quickly endanger crews. Officials have not provided details on what caused the fire or how the personnel were injured.
Jakarta Smoke Drifts West, but Air Quality Remains Unhealthy
Indonesia’s weather agency says wildfire smoke has moved away from Greater Jakarta, but readings at several monitoring sites remain unhealthy. Satellite images showed residual smoke over western Banten, while PM2.5 and air-quality index data varied across the capital, underscoring why residents should check local conditions rather than infer surface pollution from satellite observations alone.
Gunung Lawu Fire Burns 100 Hectares, Magetan on Alert
A forest fire on Mount Lawu has burned about 100 hectares, prompting authorities in Magetan, East Java, to step up patrols and coordinate with teams in neighboring Central Java. The blaze was reported in Karanganyar, where crews are fighting it by hand across steep terrain amid strong winds. Officials say the fire has not crossed into Magetan, but residents near the slopes have been told to report smoke or flames immediately.
West Sumatra Teachers Give $3,070 for Solok Flood Victims
The Pasaman Barat teachers’ association and Bunda Guru delivered 50 million rupiah in aid for communities hit by flash floods in Solok regency. Heirs of people killed in the disaster are to receive 5 million rupiah each. The funds were handed to Solok’s Bunda Guru organization for distribution, as local officials and families thanked the visiting group for its support.
Banjarmasin Port Keeps Cargo Moving as Haze Hits Region
Banjarmasin Container Terminal says cargo handling continues normally as wildfire haze affects the area. Terminal Head Sirin Purnomo says the operator is monitoring air quality and field operations, and has distributed about 40 boxes of masks to staff. In a separate report, authorities in Kotawaringin Timur said shipping on the Mentaya River remained safe, with no schedule changes reported.
Indonesia Plans System to Predict Peatland Fires Three Days Ahead
Indonesia’s National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency wants to develop a system that could forecast forest and land fires, particularly in peat areas, up to three days before they occur. The plan links early warning with water-level monitoring, canal mapping and evacuation planning. Officials say the technology remains a development target, while existing systems created by other groups may help support the effort.
Indonesia Urged to Declare Forest Fires a National Disaster
Sustainabilitas has urged Indonesia’s government to declare forest and land fires a national disaster and set emergency measures according to the scale of the crisis. Its proposals include a unified command involving disaster agencies, ministries, the military, police and local governments, along with public access to operational plans. The group also calls for ASEAN assistance, protection from smoke exposure and staged peatland recovery as the government weighs longer-term fire prevention.
Kalimantan Fire Smoke Reaches Jakarta; BMKG Urges Masks
Smoke from forest and land fires in Kalimantan has reached Jakarta, Indonesia’s meteorological agency said, advising residents to wear masks outdoors. The agency’s information did not include pollution readings, the hardest-hit areas or the smoke’s route, leaving residents without a detailed picture of local air conditions. BMKG urged people to follow official updates as they go about outdoor activities.
Smoke Warning Covers Indonesia’s Riau Islands on Friday
Indonesia’s Hang Nadim Meteorological Station has warned of possible wildfire smoke across the Riau Islands on Friday, including Batam, Bintan and the Anambas Islands. The haze could reduce visibility and cause breathing problems, even as skies are forecast to be partly cloudy to cloudy. Light to moderate local rain remains possible, with temperatures expected to range from 24 to 34 degrees Celsius.
North Sumatra Plans Weather Modification to Curb Haze
North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution said weather modification would begin around Lake Toba on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, to trigger rain and reduce haze from forest and land fires. The effort is expected to expand to other areas in stages. If it fails to bring rain or haze levels remain high, Nasution said the provincial government would consider other measures, including a dry-ice approach discussed with South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru.