Palangka Raya Blanketed by Orange Haze Amid Widespread Kalimantan Fires

On Monday, a dense orange haze drifted across Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, cloaking the sky in a murky shroud while wildfires persisted in the nearby forests.

Locals said sightlines fell to only a few hundred metres, leading to school closures and a surge of clinic visits for eye irritation, coughing and breathlessness. The haze, laden with fine particles, aggravates respiratory ailments and endangers sensitive populations like children and seniors.

Officials identified the haze’s origin as a cluster of uncontrolled blazes on peatlands and secondary forest around the city. Specialists point out that burning peat soils emit vast amounts of carbon, producing thick, lingering smoke. These fires are mainly tied to illegal slash‑and‑burn clearing, a routine during Indonesia’s dry season.

Since the early 2000s, Indonesia has experienced yearly fire‑induced haze episodes, with the worst incidents drifting into Malaysia and Singapore. Such events have attracted global censure and spurred regional collaboration via the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, yet enforcement continues to be inconsistent.

To counter the blaze, the provincial authorities sent extra firefighting teams and conducted aerial drops of water and fire‑retardant chemicals onto the most active hotspots. Real‑time satellite imagery tracks the fire’s progression, and police have intensified patrols to discourage illegal land‑clearing. Nonetheless, officials admit that dry conditions and rugged terrain impede swift containment.

Forecasts indicate the dry season will linger until year‑end, sustaining a high likelihood of additional flare‑ups. Health officials have released guidance for residents to curb outdoor exposure, don masks, and monitor official air‑quality bulletins. The incident highlights the persistent difficulty of reconciling agricultural growth with environmental care in an area where peatlands are both a prized asset and a major source of air pollution.