Respiratory infections linked to hazardous wildfire pollution in Indonesia have more than doubled in just over a week, according to data from the country’s health ministry released on Thursday (10th September).
The number of people suffering from wildfire-related respiratory illnesses rose to 113,336 as of 9th September, up from 50,891 on 1st September. The figures were presented by health ministry spokesperson Widyawati, who goes by one name, during a press conference. More than 12.5 million people have been exposed to haze caused by fires across seven provinces, she said. Of the total respiratory cases, 26,545 involved toddlers aged 0–5, while 86,791 occurred among those aged over 5.
The seven provinces most affected are South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Jambi, Riau, and South Sumatra. Fires have been blazing across vast stretches of forest and peatland throughout the Indonesian archipelago, with hazardous emissions surging particularly on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. This year’s wildfire season is the most intense in 11 years, driven by super El Niño weather conditions that have pushed up temperatures and caused punishing droughts. Fire emissions from the country now account for a third of the global total.
Peatland fires present a particular challenge because they can burn underground and produce dense, long-lasting haze rich in harmful particles. Health officials have stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable groups, including young children and those with existing respiratory conditions. Singapore and Malaysia have also recorded unhealthy air quality levels because of the transboundary haze.
Nearly a million masks and hundreds of oxygen concentrator units have been sent to help residents cope with the pollution, and thousands of medical workers have been deployed to affected areas. Widyawati said: “The process of deploying additional medical personnel and various supplies is ongoing. We will continue to monitor which areas require more healthcare workers and dispatch them there.”
The ministry has readied 1,691 community health centres and 360 referral hospitals across the affected areas. Deployment includes more than 18,000 general practitioners and nearly 1,000 specialists in pulmonology, ear, nose and throat care, and ophthalmology, supported by nurses, midwives, and other health staff. Supplies distributed include around 980,000 masks, 277 oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, protective equipment, and air purifiers.
To help Indonesia battle the fires, Japan has sent three CH-47 Chinook helicopters, which began conducting trial flights on Thursday, according to Berton Panjaitan, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency. The aircraft, which arrived aboard a Japanese naval vessel, will aid the Indonesian military’s water bombing operations starting either on Friday or Saturday in West Kalimantan on Borneo. They are expected to support operations for a limited period while coordinating with Indonesian forces.
Malaysia, which shares a land border with Indonesia on Borneo, has also offered its aerial firefighting capabilities, according to a letter from the country’s environment minister to his Indonesian counterpart. Panjaitan said Jakarta was conducting inter-agency coordination to discuss Malaysia’s offer.
From January – July this year, fires burned around 202,000 hectares of land, almost 500,000 acres, according to government data. Environmental group YKAN has estimated that another 600,000 hectares were damaged by fire in August. Authorities are using a combination of ground teams, aerial water bombing, and weather modification efforts to contain the blazes.
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