(Indonesia, 23rd) — Indonesia will deploy an additional 1,500 soldiers to Borneo to help extinguish vast forest fires on the island, as the thick haze from these fires has made it difficult for residents in some areas to breathe.
According to AFP, the Indonesian government said this week that, affected by the El Niño phenomenon, more than 200,000 hectares of land were burned by forest fires between January and July this year—an area three times the size of the capital Jakarta. Drought is the main reason for the outbreak of these fires.
On Saturday (August 22), Indonesian President Prabowo visited Borneo and chaired a meeting on the fire response. Cabinet Secretary Teddy (Teddy Indra Wijaya) said the president had ordered an increase in military forces.
In a statement released on Saturday, Teddy said: "Starting today, three camps of Indonesian National Armed Forces, about 1,500 personnel in total, will be deployed from outside the Kalimantan Province."
Teddy said six helicopters are also scheduled to arrive on Saturday to join in water-bombing fire-fighting efforts.
Besides Kalimantan, Borneo also includes two Malaysian states as well as Brunei.
Prabowo told reporters in Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, that the government is closely monitoring the situation and mobilizing resources to help control the spread of the fire. He said, "We are taking mitigation measures. What’s important is to immediately stop the spread of hotspots."
Borneo is home to pristine rainforest and vast plantations. Due to the thick haze caused by the fires, local Borneo governments have advised residents to wear masks and reduce outdoor activities.