Kalimantan Fires: Palangka Raya Choked by Toxic Smoke for 37 Days | World

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<p>Wildfires continue to ravage Kalimantan, Indonesia, as thick smoke, hazardous air pollution and persistent peatland fires affect Palangka Raya City, the capital of Central Kalimantan.</p><p>As of October 14, Palangka Raya had recorded its 37th consecutive day of hazardous air quality, with PM2.5 concentrations peaking at 2,512 micrograms per cubic metre. Thick yellow-orange smoke has obscured the sky, reduced visibility and raised serious public-health concerns.</p><p>Central Kalimantan recorded a cumulative 18,050.68 hectares of burned land across 6,255 fire incidents as of October 15, according to provincial disaster-response data reported by ANTARA. The city-specific figures are reported separately and should not be confused with the province-wide total.</p><p>On October 15, residents protested over the prolonged smoke crisis, while firefighters continued battling peatland fires that can smoulder underground and reignite. On October 16, Indonesia announced plans to mobilise nearly 500 businesses to support firefighting operations, particularly around Palangka Raya and Pulang Pisau.</p><p>Indonesia is also preparing weather-modification operations as the government strengthens its response to the country's most severe wildfire season in more than a decade. President Prabowo Subianto has agreed to accept foreign assistance, with disaster authorities reviewing available offers.</p><p>The crisis extends beyond Kalimantan, with wildfire haze affecting neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, disrupting schools and raising respiratory-health concerns.</p><p>Watch the latest update for verified figures, the situation in Palangka Raya, the scale of the Central Kalimantan fires and Indonesia's expanding emergency response.</p>