HealthHaze from worsening wildfires in Indonesia is driving a rise in respiratory illnesses among people in Borneo. Fire-related cases across seven affected Indonesian provinces more than doubled from about 50,000 on Sep 1 to over 113,000 on Sep 9. Water shortages caused by limited rain and saltwater-tainted supplies have made conditions worse in some areas.
WorldData shows a surge in emissions from wildfires burning through parts of forests and peatlands on Indonesia’s islands of Borneo and Sumatra, with current carbon dioxide readings the highest worldwide.
Reuters
HealthMalaysia has declared an air quality emergency after haze linked to fires in Indonesia reached a critical level. The recurring seasonal problem in Southeast Asia can send smoke across borders, affecting Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.
WorldHaze affecting parts of Southeast Asia has renewed questions about the region’s response to the recurring problem. Malaysia, among the hardest hit in recent weeks, is urging ASEAN to revisit its transboundary haze agreement more than two decades after it took effect.
WorldMalaysia’s Sarawak has begun a three-day cloud seeding operation to mitigate transboundary haze before an expected dry spell next month. The state is among the hardest hit by smoke from fires in Indonesia. Pollution in Manila has eased modestly, but authorities say air quality remains unhealthy for vulnerable groups. Indonesia has cancelled in-person classes in badly affected West Kalimantan.
WorldWildfires continue to spread in Indonesia, blanketing East Malaysia in haze as southwesterly winds carry smoke from Kalimantan across the border. Parts of Metro Manila recorded very unhealthy API readings of nearly 300. Indonesia is intensifying efforts to control fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
OtherHundreds of Muslims in East Kalimantan held an Istisqo prayer for rain as worsening land and forest fires on Borneo continued to produce haze. The pollution has caused respiratory illnesses and pushed thousands of schools, including in neighbouring Malaysia and the Philippines, to move classes online.
WorldSmoke from fires burning in Indonesia’s Kalimantan is worsening air quality in parts of Malaysia and the Philippines as winds carry the pollution across borders. Sarawak has recorded hazardous readings above 300, while unhealthy air has also been reported in Sabah. The haze has moved beyond Malaysia into Metro Manila, where authorities recorded elevated levels of fine airborne particles.
SocietyVeterinarians are treating an orangutan for a respiratory illness after rescuing it from wildfires in Indonesia.
Reuters
WorldEmergency crews in Indonesia are intensifying efforts to stop wildfires spreading through forests and peatlands. Tens of thousands of hectares have burned, sending heavy haze over affected areas and raising serious health concerns for millions. The report comes from West Kalimantan.
HealthThousands of fires are burning across Indonesia, including Sulawesi, Java, Papua and Sumatra, with West Kalimantan among the worst-hit areas. Crews are fighting flames spreading across dried peatland, while water shortages and heavy haze make the effort harder.
WorldTens of thousands of fires remain active across Indonesia, with wildfires having burned more than 38,000 hectares in West Kalimantan. Firefighters are battling blazes dangerously close to homes, while hotspots have also been reported in South Sumatra and parts of Papua.
SocietyIndonesia has sanctioned six firms and frozen another company’s licence after President Prabowo Subianto pledged to pursue those responsible for wildfires in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan. Firefighters are still battling the blazes, which have caused a cross-border haze crisis. Nearly 94,000 hectares burned across Indonesia last month, forestry data shows.
WorldIndonesian Muslims prayed for rain through choking smoke as emergency services battled wildfires fueled by an intensifying El Niño climate pattern and a prolonged dry season. Dense smoke from the fires crossed into Malaysia and Brunei.
Science1:08Indonesia has allowed Malaysian agencies to enter its airspace for cloud-seeding operations as a prolonged dry season worsens air quality through transboundary haze. The two sides are preparing for the effort. Cloud seeding cannot create rain from a clear sky; it aims to increase rainfall from clouds that already exist.
WorldIndonesian President Prabowo Subianto has pledged tough action against companies responsible for forest and land fires. More than 5,100 hotspots have been detected this month, the highest August total since 2015. Prabowo visited Kalimantan before travelling to Riau in Sumatra, where over 16,000 hectares have burned since January.
World1:29Malaysia is urging ASEAN to strengthen prevention and preparedness for transboundary haze as a prolonged dry season worsens air quality. A Malaysian minister said early intervention, reliable information sharing and close regional coordination could help address the problem, as smoke from Indonesian land and forest fires drifts into Malaysia and reaches unhealthy levels.