Indonesia battles haze as wildfires rage across South Sumatra forests

What the report says

Authorities in Indonesia’s South Sumatra province are responding to widespread wildfires and thick haze with a mix of emergency response and public prayer, according to Al Jazeera. On Tuesday, about 3,000 people gathered in Palembang, the provincial capital, for salat istisqa, an Islamic prayer for rain, as smoke cut visibility and affected daily travel. Governor Herman Deru said officials had taken all practical steps available and were also appealing for rain as conditions worsened.

The fires have spread across forests and peatlands, with South Sumatra recording the country’s highest number of wildfire hotspots. Al Jazeera cited Environment Ministry satellite data showing 1,429 hotspots in the province, while other heavily affected areas included West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. Officials said nearly 940 square kilometres of land burned in July, including more than 20 square kilometres in South Sumatra.

Emergency crews are using cloud seeding and water-bombing aircraft to contain the blazes. The national disaster management agency said smoke has drifted beyond Indonesia, reaching Malaysia and Brunei. Authorities have also arrested 72 people over alleged land-clearing fires, while four companies are under investigation. Seasonal fires and cross-border haze remain a recurring regional problem in Southeast Asia, especially during dry periods and El Nino-linked weather patterns.