Borneo wildfires threaten peat forests and wildlife

Severe wildfires are ravaging the island of Borneo, particularly in the southern peat and swamp forest regions. The fires are exacerbated by several factors, including the dry season, the drainage of swamps through canals, and the El Niño phenomenon, which reduces moisture in the western Pacific. Because these fires occur in peatlands, they can burn deep underground, making them extremely difficult to extinguish.

In Central Kalimantan, rescue efforts are underway to save wildlife caught in the inferno. A young orangutan named Novita was discovered trapped in a tree amidst dense smoke and flames near Katune Village. A coordinated rescue operation involving the BOS Foundation, local residents, the Central Kalimantan nature conservation authority (BKSDA), and the Indonesian army was required to extinguish the surrounding flames and sedate the animal to safely retrieve it from the canopy.