Indonesians pray for rain as wildfires blanket cities in haze

Thousands of Indonesians gathered under choking smoke in South Sumatra on Tuesday to pray for rain as wildfires burned across forests and peatlands, covering parts of the country in hazardous haze and sending smoke into neighboring Malaysia and Brunei.

About 3,000 residents assembled in Palembang, the provincial capital, for salat istisqa, a special Islamic prayer for rain. They stood shoulder to shoulder in the courtyard of the governor’s office while thick smoke shrouded roads, buildings and public facilities. Visibility fell so low that motorists drove with headlights on during the day.

“We have done everything we can and worked closely with all relevant parties,” South Sumatra Gov. Herman Deru said before the prayer. “As people of faith, we are also praying to God to send rain so that life can return to normal.”

Deru said the public prayer was intended to complement firefighting and drought-mitigation efforts and to bring residents together as the province confronts worsening environmental conditions.

South Sumatra has become the center of Indonesia’s wildfire crisis. The latest satellite data from the Environment Ministry showed the province had 1,429 hot spots, the highest number nationwide. West Kalimantan followed with 1,226, and Central Kalimantan had 811.

Forestry Ministry data showed nearly 940 square kilometers, or about 363 square miles, burned in July alone. That included more than 20 square kilometers, or 8 square miles, in South Sumatra.

Emergency crews have been fighting fires fueled by an intensifying El Nino pattern and a prolonged dry season, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. The agency said dense smoke from the fires has crossed into Malaysia and Brunei.

Authorities are also expanding weather-modification operations, trying to induce rainfall by dispersing salt particles into suitable clouds. Indonesia has deployed 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing missions over Kalimantan and another 22 helicopters over Sumatra.

Police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting some of the forest and peatland fires. Four companies are under investigation over allegations they used fire to clear land at low cost.

Plantation owners and traditional farmers often set fires to clear land for cultivation. Those fires can spread in dry conditions, creating haze that cuts visibility, disrupts land and air transportation and threatens public health.

Wildfires are a recurring problem in Indonesia during the dry season. The haze they produce has periodically triggered diplomatic complaints from other Southeast Asian countries, and officials said this season’s smoke has already drifted beyond Indonesia’s borders.