Indonesia Strengthens Wildfire Response to Prevent Transboundary Haze

The Indonesian government continues to deploy ground and air operations to combat forest and land fires in vulnerable areas. (Dok. Ist)

PEWARTA.CO.ID — The Indonesian government is intensifying its response to forest and land fires in parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra, deploying ground and air operations while expanding monitoring efforts to prevent haze from spreading across national borders.

Rizal Irawan, Deputy for Environmental Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency, said thousands of joint personnel have been placed on 24-hour alert in areas considered vulnerable to forest and land fires.

“Several of our fellow citizens in parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra are currently facing forest and land fires, and they are also experiencing deteriorating air quality,” Rizal said in a statement on Monday, August 31, 2026.

The government has also deployed dozens of helicopters and aircraft for water bombing and weather modification operations.

Ground operations are being reinforced by thousands of joint personnel stationed across several fire-prone areas, with teams remaining on alert around the clock.

“Air operations involve dozens of helicopters and aircraft deployed for water bombing and weather modification, while ground operations are supported by thousands of joint personnel on 24-hour standby at vulnerable locations,” he said.

Monitoring haze beyond Indonesia’s borders

Indonesia is not limiting its response to fire hotspots within the country, with authorities also monitoring conditions that could allow smoke and haze to spread into neighboring countries.

The broader approach follows a ministerial-level meeting and technical working group discussions held in Bali in July 2026, where Indonesia and several neighboring countries discussed efforts to address transboundary haze pollution.

“Our efforts also extend to the regional level. We are monitoring wind directions and smoke trajectories to prevent a transboundary haze crisis,” Rizal said.

The monitoring is being carried out using maps and meteorological information from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), with the data used to assess the possible movement of smoke from areas affected by forest and land fires.

Cross-border monitoring is considered necessary because smoke from wildfires can travel with changing wind and atmospheric conditions, potentially affecting air quality far beyond the areas where the fires originate.

Combining firefighting with air quality monitoring

The government is continuing to combine field firefighting operations with regular monitoring of air quality in affected areas.

The effort is aimed at reducing potential health impacts on communities while containing fires before their effects spread further.

Coordination among government agencies remains a key part of the response, as authorities seek to speed up firefighting efforts and prevent the impact of forest and land fires from expanding.

The government said it hopes to reduce the risk of a wider haze crisis at an early stage while continuing to monitor fire hotspots and smoke movement in vulnerable areas.

The broader effort is also intended to protect regional air quality and support long-term environmental sustainability.