Indonesia Wildfires Disrupt Education
· news
Fanning the Flames of Disaster: Indonesia’s Wildfire Crisis
Indonesia is facing a catastrophic wildfire crisis, exacerbated by this year’s El Nino-fueled dry season. With dozens of schools forced to close due to hazardous air quality and thousands of hectares of land scorched, it’s clear that this disaster will have long-lasting consequences.
In Pontianak, West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono has ordered schools closed because of the choking haze. This decision affects tens of thousands of public school pupils, who may be forced to learn from home until air quality improves. The situation is dire, with many families already struggling to cope.
On Java, firefighters are battling flames at Bromo Tengger Semeru national park, which has lost nearly 900 hectares to an inferno that broke out on August 3. This blaze is part of a larger trend: more than 107,000 hectares have burned countrywide so far in 2026 – double the area scorched in 2023.
The statistics are stark, but they only tell part of the story. The real issue is not just the scale of destruction but also the long-term consequences for Indonesia’s environment and economy. With El Nino bringing drier conditions to Southeast Asia, this year’s dry season will be one of the toughest on record.
Critics have accused the Indonesian government of responding too slowly to the crisis, with many questioning the effectiveness of cloud seeding efforts. While these efforts may provide some short-term relief, they do little to address the underlying causes of the wildfires: deforestation, land clearing, and climate change.
Indonesia’s struggle to contain the fires is part of a larger regional trend. Wildfires are becoming increasingly common across Southeast Asia, fueled by human activity and climate change. In 2015, Indonesia suffered its worst wildfire crisis on record, with over 2 million hectares burned – an area roughly the size of Sri Lanka.
To prevent a repeat of this year’s disaster, the government must take drastic measures to prevent wildfires. This means implementing more effective land-use policies, increasing funding for forest conservation efforts, and investing in climate-resilient agriculture. However, it also requires tackling the root causes of Indonesia’s wildfire crisis: corruption, lack of regulation, and prioritizing short-term economic gains over long-term environmental sustainability.
As the air quality continues to plummet and schools remain closed, Indonesia’s leaders have a choice to make. Will they commit to addressing the systemic issues driving this crisis, or will they continue to delay action? The answer will determine not just the fate of Indonesia’s forests but also its very future as a nation.
Reader Views
- CMColumnist M. Reid · opinion columnist
The Indonesian government's haphazard response to the wildfire crisis has predictable consequences: public health is at risk, education suffers, and economic losses mount. But what about the long-term implications for Indonesia's agriculture? The haze may clear by winter, but the damage to crops and soil quality will persist. With land clearing driving the fires, we need a hard look at sustainable agricultural practices that don't sacrifice the environment. Can Jakarta pivot from firefighting to long-term planning before it's too late?
- CSCorrespondent S. Tan · field correspondent
The Indonesian government's cloud seeding efforts are a Band-Aid solution at best. We need to focus on addressing the root causes of these devastating wildfires: unsustainable agriculture practices and corrupt land-use policies that prioritize profits over people and the planet. The fact is, Indonesia's forest fires are not just a domestic issue, but a regional and global concern. Until we tackle the systemic problems driving deforestation and climate change, we'll only be treating symptoms, not curing the disease.
- RJReporter J. Avery · staff reporter
While the article accurately conveys the scale of Indonesia's wildfire crisis, it glosses over a critical factor: the role of palm oil plantations in perpetuating deforestation and land clearing. The surge in global demand for palm oil has driven widespread habitat destruction, creating tinderboxes for wildfires to spread unchecked. Indonesian authorities must confront this industry's complicity in the disaster, lest we witness similar catastrophes unfold across Southeast Asia as climate change intensifies regional dry spells.