Indonesia's Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni warned on Wednesday that the country’s most severe wildfire season could linger until early November, pushing the rainy season back to late October.
The warning follows a revision by Indonesia’s Meteorological Agency that the dry spell will last one and a half months longer than the late‑September estimate, a shift that complicates firefighting efforts across Borneo and Sumatra.
The ministry cited a 113,336‑case spike in respiratory illnesses in seven provinces between September 1 and 9, with West Kalimantan suffering the highest burden, underscoring the human toll of the haze.
In response, the government has deployed more than 50 aircraft for water bombing and cloud seeding, while Japan dispatched three CH‑47 Chinook helicopters to assist with aerial firefighting.
Local farmers in West Kalimantan report that fog and ash have halted crop growth, forcing them to seek temporary shelter in community centers.
The next phase will see a national emergency meeting in Jakarta on November 2 to coordinate resources and evaluate the effectiveness of overseas aid.