Wildfire Smoke Forces School Closures and Strains Health Services in Kalimantan

Dry conditions have intensified wildfires across West Kalimantan, creating a thick haze that has led to the closure of hundreds of schools and disrupted education for roughly 200,000 pupils. Teachers have shifted to online lessons, but many students lack computers, internet access or stable electricity, especially in remote areas. Health officials are treating acute respiratory infections and distributing masks, though supplies are insufficient. Volunteer firefighters in villages such as Lintang Batang are coping with a shortage of hoses, pumps and protective gear, sometimes resorting to buckets.