The short version
- Residents in Palangkaraya are isolating themselves in sealed rooms or volunteer-run safe houses to escape toxic smoke from widespread wildfires.
- The crisis has spread across Southeast Asia, causing school closures and health emergencies in neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia.
- Local organizations are filling the gap left by government inaction by providing air purifiers and oxygen tanks to vulnerable populations.
Life in Palangkaraya, a city of approximately 300,000 people on the island of Borneo, has become defined by the daily assessment of air quality. For months, residents have woken to the acrid smell of smoke and persistent coughing, signaling that the air itself poses a direct threat to their health. The situation has escalated to the point where many families are sealing their homes with plastic sheeting and restricting children to single rooms equipped with air purifiers. This isolation is not a choice but a necessity for survival as wildfires engulf the surrounding forests.
The human cost of this environmental disaster is starkly visible in households like that of Apri Dona Yusmelita, a 27-year-old mother caring for a five-month-old son and a four-year-old daughter. Her infant has been ill for most of his life due to the poor air quality, suffering from phlegmy coughs that lead to vomiting and hinder his ability to gain weight. Yusmelita has moved her television and daily activities into a bedroom where an air purifier runs continuously, creating a small sanctuary against the toxic haze that seeps through cracks in windows and doors.
Even within these sealed spaces, the intrusion of smoke is palpable. Yusmelita notes that eating meals with her children must happen in this protected room because their developing lungs are more susceptible to damage than adult respiratory systems. When the smoke turned a distinct yellow hue recently, the family retreated further into isolation. Brief excursions outside have resulted in immediate flare-ups of symptoms for her children, prompting Yusmelita to describe the situation as unbearable and pitiful.
The scale of the burning is unprecedented this year, with nearly two million hectares of forest and peatland consumed by fire across Indonesia. This surge is partly attributed to a severe El Niño weather pattern that has created drier-than-usual conditions, exacerbating the intensity of the blazes. Many of these fires are intentionally set using slash-and-burn techniques to clear land for agricultural crops, particularly palm oil, for which Indonesia remains the world’s largest producer. Despite decades of government pledges to address the root causes of these fires, authorities have struggled to contain the catastrophe.
In the absence of effective state intervention, local volunteers and indigenous organizations have stepped in to mitigate the health impacts on vulnerable populations. The Ranu Welum Foundation, an Indigenous group, has established fourteen haze shelters across the region. These safe houses, often located in donated church rooms or public buildings, are equipped with air-tight concrete walls, minimal ventilation, air purifiers, oxygen tanks, and nebulizers. They serve as critical refuges for children and the elderly, though volunteers emphasize that these facilities are not substitutes for medical care.
The shelters operate under strict guidelines to ensure safety. Roro Ardya Garini, a co-founder of the foundation, explains that while anyone is welcome during severe haze days, individuals with acute medical emergencies must be directed to hospitals. In one instance, a baby arrived at a shelter showing signs of severe oxygen deprivation and was immediately transported to an emergency room. Another volunteer group, JPIC Kalimantan, runs similar facilities where parents like Sabrina Alfiana bring their children to inhale mist from nebulizers while air purifiers line the walls.
The impact of the haze extends far beyond Palangkaraya, affecting millions across Southeast Asia. Thick smoke has drifted into Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Timor-Leste, with traces reaching as far as the Philippines and Vietnam. The regional crisis has led to widespread school closures and a significant increase in hospitalizations for respiratory issues. In Kuala Lumpur, veterinarians have reported an uptick in pets seeking treatment for smoke-related ailments, while manufacturers note a spike in demand for oxygen tanks and air purifiers throughout the region.
While the Indonesian government has dispatched firefighters and promised to pursue companies accused of arson, these measures have yet to resolve the underlying issues. The reliance on local monitoring and volunteer-led relief efforts underscores the gap between official policy and on-the-ground reality. As the fires continue to burn, residents remain trapped in a cycle of exposure and isolation, dependent on makeshift solutions to breathe safely in an environment that has become increasingly hostile.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian US↗‘I can’t bear it’: young family takes refuge in bedroom as choking haze engulfs Indonesian city
