Indonesia wildfires threaten health of 3.4 million with haze

Millions of Indonesians are facing severe health risks from thick haze blanketing large parts of the country as El Niño-fuelled wildfires continue to burn across the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. According to the health ministry, approximately 3.4 million people living in seven provinces are at risk of respiratory infections due to the prolonged exposure to polluted air.

The crisis has forced widespread school closures and disrupted daily life in numerous cities. In Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau province on Sumatra, government officials ordered dozens of schools shut and urged residents to remain indoors as smog severely reduced visibility. Local residents described difficult conditions, with one entrepreneur noting the city feels "almost like a dead city" at night, and others reporting stinging eyes and coughing. Similar measures were implemented in Jambi province, where local authorities mandated home schooling for kindergarten and elementary students for the remainder of the week.

In response, the government has escalated its firefighting efforts. President Prabowo Subianto announced the deployment of dozens of helicopters, aircraft, water pumps, and thousands of personnel...