Air pollution in parts of Indonesia’s Borneo reached hazardous levels on August 31, with Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan recording an air quality index of 780 at noon, according to IQAir readings cited by CNA.
The figure made Palangkaraya the most polluted city in the archipelago that day. Pontianak in West Kalimantan followed with an AQI of 593. The numbers underline how severe the smoke conditions had become across parts of Kalimantan as forest and land fires continued to burn through the dry season.
CNA said an AQI reading above 300 is considered hazardous. At 780, the reading was far beyond that threshold and reflected conditions that can be dangerous even for healthy people, especially when exposure lasts over many hours or days. The report also pointed to a wider health burden, saying Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono had said more than 5 million people on Borneo and Sumatra were directly exposed to haze risks and that about 13,500 people had been treated for respiratory infections in July and August.
The fires were prompting a mix of domestic and foreign response. CNA said Indonesia’s military and other government agencies had begun efforts to restore ecosystems and improve water availability in affected areas, including tree planting and drilled wells. The report quoted regional commander Krido Pramono saying the work would be carried out gradually to reduce the risk of fires returning.
Japan was also sending support. A Japan Self-Defense Force transport ship departed Hiroshima prefecture on Sunday and was expected to reach Indonesia within one to two weeks to help firefighting operations. CNA said around 600 personnel and three CH-47 helicopters were expected to take part in what would be the Self-Defense Forces’ first overseas firefighting mission under a cooperation agreement signed last May.
The scale of the haze and the deployment of outside help suggest the fires are no longer a localized emergency. They are affecting daily life, straining public health systems and drawing in regional assistance as Indonesian authorities try to contain a problem that has repeatedly returned with the dry season.
The health warnings are especially important because the story is not just about one city posting a grim reading. The report shows a networked problem across island provinces, with smoke crossing borders within the country and stretching government capacity. The Japanese deployment also shows that neighboring partners are willing to help in a crisis that mixes environmental damage, emergency response and long-running land-management challenges.
