‘Worse than severe’ - Indonesia's forest fire haze grounds flights, disrupts schools
Key Takeaways
- Hazardous pollution: Thick smoke engulfs Palangka Raya, reducing visibility and temporarily grounding flights.
- Health and education affected: Schools extend remote learning as officials report 10,240 respiratory infections.
- Widespread fires: More than 18,000 hectares have burned across Central Kalimantan, prompting calls for a national disaster declaration.
Hazardous smoke has engulfed Palangka Raya, forcing schools to extend remote learning as thousands suffer respiratory infections and residents demand emergency action.
"If you call the haze severe, it is already beyond severe. It is worse than severe; it is supposed to be normal, but it is far from normal. Yesterday, there were people from the central government saying that activities on the streets were normal."
That was how Faisal, a resident of Palangka Raya in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province, described the thick smoke covering the city as forest and land fires continue to affect daily life.
The worsening haze has temporarily grounded flights, disrupted school activities and raised serious health concerns, with air pollution reaching Indonesia's highest classification of 'Hazardous' (Berbahaya) on Wednesday.
Dense smoke reduced visibility across Palangka Raya, leaving a bridge barely visible while motorists continued travelling through the city. Children were also seen playing in a park despite the conditions.
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For residents like Faisal, staying indoors is not always an option because of the need to earn a living.
"In reality, we are being forced to continue our daily activities as usual. Because if we stop working, we cannot earn a living. We simply cannot afford to do that," he continued.
The city's education department has extended distance learning for preschool, primary and junior secondary pupils from October 15 to 17 as the hazardous air conditions persist.
Health authorities have also reported a growing number of respiratory illnesses linked to the period of worsening air pollution.
Between June and early October, officials recorded 10,240 cases of acute respiratory infection. Emergency oxygen facilities have been established to assist residents experiencing breathing difficulties.
Faisal called for stronger government intervention, arguing that the scale of the fires warranted a national disaster declaration.
"This should already have been declared a national disaster because the situation is extremely severe. Compared to the past few years, this year’s forest fires are the worst. If it is officially declared a national disaster, we hope we can receive assistance from various parties to help tackle this haze problem," added Faisal.
According to Central Kalimantan's emergency fire command, more than 18,000 hectares of land had been burned across the province by October 13.
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Approximately 1,185 hectares of the affected land were located in Palangka Raya.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
