Indonesia forest fires have burned across Sumatra and Borneo for months in what officials describe as the country’s worst fire season in more than a decade — and President Prabowo Subianto has now agreed to accept firefighting assistance from neighboring countries. The decision, announced by Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir on Friday, marks a sharp shift for a government facing mounting criticism as smoke has left hundreds of thousands of people struggling to breathe and pushed thick haze across Malaysia and East Timor.
FAKTA
- What: President Prabowo Subianto has approved accepting foreign firefighting assistance to tackle Indonesia’s worst forest fires in more than a decade.
- Announced by: Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir, in a voice recording shared by his ministry on Friday.
- Where: Sumatra and Borneo are the worst-hit islands; fire has also spread to the Mount Bromo national park in East Java. Haze has drifted into Malaysia and East Timor.
- Human toll: Hundreds of thousands of people suffering respiratory problems; school closures in Malaysia and East Timor; four people fighting the fires killed near Mount Bromo, two more treated for severe burns.
- Offers on the table: Malaysia offered three helicopters, an aircraft and 52 personnel last month; Singapore says it is ready to step in.
Indonesia Forest Fires Drive Regional Emergency
The approval came after months of fierce wildfires that drew heavy criticism of Indonesia’s response. Nasir said the president had given his approval and the matter is now being discussed at the technical level within BNPB, the national disaster mitigation agency. The agency’s new chief, appointed on Thursday, said he is reviewing the types of assistance being offered and will decide which ones can be deployed the fastest.
Malaysia said it was reassessing its earlier offer of three helicopters, an aircraft and 52 personnel, because the fires had spread widely since. Singapore, also badly affected by the haze, said it is ready to help contain the fires and will continue working with Indonesia and other ASEAN partners.
Peatland Blazes Resist Firefighting
The islands of Sumatra and Borneo, close to Singapore and Malaysia, have been the worst affected. The fires can smoulder slowly beneath the surface of large stretches of peatland and re-emerge at any moment, making them exceptionally difficult to extinguish.
The blaze also spread to the national park of Mount Bromo in East Java, where four people involved in fighting the fires were killed, the Forestry Ministry said in a statement on Friday. Two others are undergoing medical treatment for severe burns.
Mounting Pressure on Jakarta
The decision to seek foreign help follows growing domestic and regional pressure. Thick haze crossing into neighboring countries has forced school closures in Malaysia and East Timor, reviving a decades-long regional dispute over transboundary smoke from Indonesian fires.
Malaysia has said it intends to keep using diplomatic channels and ASEAN mechanisms to address the haze with Indonesia, calling legal action or a diplomatic note a last resort. Watan News International continues to follow this developing story in English at watannews.dk/en/.
