Indonesia battles haze as wildfires rage across South Sumatra forests

In Indonesia, specifically in the province of South Sumatra, wildfires have been raging across forests and peatlands for weeks, causing hazardous haze to shroud parts of the country. The blazes are driven by an intensifying El Niño pattern and a prolonged dry season. In response, authorities have deployed dozens of aircraft for cloud seeding and water bombing, arrested 72 people suspected of using fire to clear land, and are investigating four companies. Despite these efforts, the fires continue to spread, with 1,429 wildfire hotspots detected in South Sumatra, followed by West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. To combat the crisis, 3,000 residents gathered in Palembang, the provincial capital, to perform a special Islamic prayer for rain, known as "salat istisqa". The prayer was led by Governor Herman Deru, who said it would complement ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation measures. The haze has affected not only Indonesia but also neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Brunei, with nearly 940 square kilometers (360 square miles) of land burned in July alone.