Kathmandu— Indonesian authorities are working to contain widespread wildfires that have consumed more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of land and prompted the closure of dozens of schools. The fires, concentrated across six provinces on Sumatra and Borneo islands, are being exacerbated by dry conditions linked to the El Niño weather pattern, leading officials to deploy nearly 50,000 firefighters and initiate cloud-seeding operations in an attempt to induce rainfall.

Widespread Fires Prompt Emergency Response

Authorities have deployed a significant emergency response, including almost 50,000 firefighters, to combat the blazes. The fires have impacted over 107,000 hectares (264,000 acres) of land across Indonesia from January to June – an increase of 110 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Firefighters are currently working to extinguish remaining hotspots at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java province, where approximately 900 hectares have burned over the past nine days, now reduced to about 2 hectares.

Air Quality Concerns Lead to School Closures

Poor air quality caused by smoke from the wildfires has led to school closures in several areas. In West Kalimantan on Borneo island, the mayor of Pontianak ordered schools closed, with children learning from home until conditions improve. Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono announced the decision Monday, citing concerns for student health.

El Niño and Cloud Seeding Efforts

The current dry conditions are being attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which typically causes drier weather in India and Southeast Asia. Indonesian officials have prioritized tackling the fires in six provinces across Sumatra and Borneo islands. To combat the lack of rainfall, authorities are attempting cloud seeding – spraying chemicals into clouds to potentially increase precipitation by up to 15 percent. However, Chief Security Minister Djamari Chaniago cautioned that finding sufficient rain clouds for effective seeding is proving challenging. “We are on alert because the weather conditions really make it possible for these fires to become larger,” he warned.

Firefighting and cloud-seeding efforts continue as authorities monitor weather patterns closely, hoping for increased rainfall to aid in containing the remaining blazes.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.