Indonesia approves regional aid to combat severe forest fires

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved requests for foreign assistance to combat the country’s most severe forest and land fires in over a decade. The fires, exacerbated by El Niño-driven drought, have caused widespread respiratory illnesses and significant transboundary haze, affecting air quality in Malaysia and East Timor.

To manage the crisis, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is finalizing technical procedures to receive regional aid. Malaysia has offered one aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 firefighters, while Singapore has expressed readiness to assist. Domestically, Indonesia has deployed over 60,000 personnel, including military, police, and firefighters, alongside aerial water-bombing and cloud seeding operations.

Authorities are also intensifying legal actions. National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto stated that 92 out of 97 reported fire-related cases have progressed to formal investigations, with a focus on corporate accountability. Meanwhile, lawmakers have called for greater transparency regarding the specific companies linked to the fires. In conservation areas like Tanjung Puting National Park, officials are using thermal drones to identify priority battlegrounds to protect wildlife feeding zones.