Indonesia Battles Wildfires as Residents Pray for Much-Needed Rain
Authorities in Indonesia’s South Sumatra province, currently facing the highest number of wildfire hot spots nationwide, turned to spiritual measures on Tuesday as massive blazes across central and western regions scorched forests and peatland, blanketing cities in choking haze.
The prayer initiative comes amid prolonged dry weather that has sharply increased the risk of forest and peatland fires. Satellite data from the Environment Ministry showed South Sumatra recorded 1,429 hot spots, the highest in the country, followed by West Kalimantan with 1,226 and Central Kalimantan with 811. Forestry Ministry data indicated nearly 940 square kilometers burned in July alone, including more than 20 square kilometers in South Sumatra province.
About 3,000 residents gathered in Palembang, the provincial capital, to perform “salat istisqa,” a special Islamic prayer for rain, standing shoulder to shoulder in the courtyard of the governor’s office as thick smoke reduced visibility across roads and public spaces, forcing motorists to drive with headlights on during daylight hours.
“We have done everything we can and worked closely with all relevant parties,” South Sumatra Gov. Herman Deru said before the prayer. “As people of faith, we are also praying to God to send rain so that life can return to normal.” He added that the gathering was meant to complement ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation efforts while giving residents a chance to unite in facing the province’s environmental challenges.
Emergency services have been battling fires intensified by a strengthening El Nino pattern and an extended dry season, with smoke drifting into neighboring Malaysia and Brunei, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency. To support firefighting efforts, authorities are expanding weather-modification operations designed to induce rainfall by dispersing salt particles into suitable clouds, deploying 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations over Kalimantan and another 22 helicopters covering Sumatra.
Indonesian police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the fires, while four companies are under investigation for allegedly using fire as a low-cost method of clearing land. Plantation owners and traditional farmers frequently set fires to clear land for agriculture, a practice that generates hazardous haze, disrupts land and air transportation, and poses risks to public health.
Fires remain a recurring problem in Indonesia during the dry season, with the resulting haze periodically prompting diplomatic complaints from neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
