Indonesia Mobilizes Task Force to Fight Fires Across 107,000 Hectares

August 11, 2026 | 08:02 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia has mobilized a major multi-agency task force to control forest and land fires that have scorched approximately 107,000 hectares, aiming to prevent transboundary haze from impacting neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

At a press conference in Jakarta on Monday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago emphasized that the government is intensifying both aerial and ground operations to contain the blazes.

"We are working as hard as possible to avoid disturbing other parties, including neighboring countries close to us," Djamari remarked.

He confirmed that, as of Monday, the government had not received any official complaints or reports from neighboring nations regarding haze pollution originating from Indonesia.

"As of today, no one has been bothered by the smoke," he said.

To expedite firefighting operations, the government has dispatched an air fleet consisting of 43 helicopters and between 10 and 15 fixed-wing aircraft as needed for water-bombing operations.

In addition to aerial support, ground teams are actively fighting the blazes using flexible tanks as temporary water reservoirs to ensure a steady water supply in tough terrain.

Weather modification technology is also being prepared to boost rainfall over impacted zones.

The response is currently concentrated across six high-risk provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan.

Authorities identified these regions as primary targets due to extensive peatlands, which become highly flammable during the dry season and can burn underground for extended periods.

Beyond these priority areas, localized blazes have also been reported in mountainous regions, including Mount Bromo in East Java, Mount Gede Pangrango in West Java, and Mount Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara.

The government pledged to maintain continuous suppression and preventative measures to keep the fires under control and prevent transboundary haze from spreading to neighboring areas.

Read: Forest Fires Ravage 10 Indonesian Provinces

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