Indonesia mobilizes 64 aircraft and over 54,000 personnel to fight forest fires

Indonesia is intensifying its response to a severe fire season, deploying a fleet of 64 aircraft and a task force of 54,394 individuals to the hardest-hit regions. The aerial component includes 55 planes from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and nine from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), all engaged in continuous water-bombing operations. Ground crews comprise members of the TNI, National Police (Polri), Ministry of Forestry, regional disaster agencies, the elite Manggala Agni unit, as well as volunteers and community members.

Deployment numbers are highest in West Kalimantan (14,759) and Riau/Riau Islands (14,382), with additional forces in South Sumatra, Jambi, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan. Satellite data from NASA and NOAA satellites, accessed via the Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi system, recorded 1,323 high-confidence hotspots on September 19, a sharp rise from the previous day. Officials emphasized the difficulty of fighting fires in peatland terrain but pledged to keep both air and ground efforts relentless to protect public health and the environment.