About 3,000 residents in South Sumatra province's capital Palembang gathered to perform a special Islamic prayer for rain due to widespread wildfires driven by El Niño climate pattern and dry season. The prayer was part of the government's efforts to mitigate the drought and wildfire crisis, with authorities using spiritual measures as well as cloud-seeding operations to induce rainfall. South Sumatra recorded 1,429 hotspots nationwide, with nearly 940 square kilometers burned in July alone, including over 20 square kilometers in the province. The Indonesian government has also arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the forest and peatland fires and is investigating four companies for allegedly using fire to clear land at low cost.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
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.
Written for “Indonesian Wildfires Spread Chaos” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
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Leaning score -0.35 for article 2351 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-27
Emergency services have been battling fires driven by an intensifying El Niño climate pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia and Brunei.
asserted
that → battle → Malaysia
Authorities in Indonesia’s South Sumatra, the province with the highest number of wildfire hotspots, turned to spiritual measures on Tuesday as huge blazes in central and western regions scorched wide areas of forests and peatland, creating a choking haze that blanketed some cities in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
asserted
that → turn → country
About 3,000 residents gathered in Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province, to perform a special Islamic prayer for rain, known as “salat istisqa.”
asserted
residents → gather → istisqa
They prayed shoulder to shoulder in the courtyard of the governor’s office as thick smoke shrouded roads, buildings and public facilities, reducing visibility and forcing motorists to drive with their headlights on during the day.
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headlights → pray → day
“We have done everything we can and worked closely with all relevant parties,” South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru said before the prayer.
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Deru → do → prayer
“As people of faith, we are also praying to God to send rain so that life can return to normal.”
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life → pray → rain
He also said the public prayer would complement ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation measures and serve as a moment for residents to unite in confronting the environmental challenges facing the province.
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residents → say → province
The prayer gathering initiative comes as the province faces prolonged dry weather that has heightened the risk of wildfires.
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that → gather → wildfires
The latest satellite data from the Environment Ministry showed South Sumatra recorded the highest number of hotspots nationwide with 1,429, followed by West Kalimantan with 1,226 and Central Kalimantan with 811.
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Sumatra → show → 811
Forestry Ministry data indicated that nearly 940 square kilometres were burned in July alone, including over 20 square kilometres in South Sumatra province.
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kilometres → indicate → province
Emergency services have been battling fires driven by an intensifying El Niño climate pattern and a prolonged dry season, generating dense smoke that crossed into Malaysia and Brunei, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
uncertain
that → battle → Agency
Indonesia is actively intensifying weather-modification operations to help firefighters combat wildfires by inducing rainfall through the dispersal of salt particles into suitable clouds, with 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations over Kalimantan and another 22 helicopters covering Sumatra.
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firefighters → intensify → Sumatra
Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the forest and peatland fires, while four companies are under investigation for allegedly using fire to clear land at low cost.
uncertain
companies → arrest → cost
Plantation owners and traditional farmers often start fires to clear land for farming, triggering hazardous haze that reduces visibility, disrupts land and air transportation and threatens public health.
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that → start → health
Fires are a regular problem during the dry season in Indonesia, and the haze they generate has periodically drawn diplomatic complaints from neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia.
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they → generate → Asia
