Indonesian women form volunteer firefighting group to combat forest fires

In West Kalimantan, Indonesia, local women have formed a volunteer firefighting group called ‘The Power of Mama’ to combat devastating forest fires. Driven by concerns over the health of their children and the environmental impact of toxic smog, the group includes approximately 140 women who patrol areas on motorcycles to detect and suppress fires.

The prolonged fire season, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, has caused significant air pollution that spreads from Indonesia to Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and the Philippines. In some Malaysian regions, schools have closed due to the toxic haze. The fires are often linked to local farmers clearing land for planting, while government efforts to regulate these practices have faced challenges due to insufficient oversight and legal delays.