Indonesia Deploys 1,500 Additional Troops to Combat Severe Borneo Wildfires

Firefighters continue their efforts to extinguish a wildfire that is razing vegetation near Mount Bromo in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park located in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia, on August 10, 2026.

The Indonesian government is dispatching an additional 1,500 soldiers to Borneo to assist in tackling raging wildfires that have consumed vast swaths of the island and generated thick smog, choking multiple areas. According to the government, fires this year have already scorched at least 200,000 hectares, equivalent to 495,000 acres, which is an area three times the size of the capital, Jakarta. These severe conditions are driven by dry weather fueled by a powerful El Nino weather pattern.

Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that President Prabowo Subianto ordered the increased troop deployment during a regional visit on Saturday. Teddy announced that three additional Indonesia National Armed Forces battalions, equating to roughly 1,500 personnel, are being brought in from outside Kalimantan starting immediately. Furthermore, six helicopters are being deployed to enhance waterbombing operations.

While speaking to reporters in Palangkaraya, the Central Kalimantan provincial capital, President Prabowo emphasized that the government is closely monitoring the situation and mobilizing resources to contain the spread of the blazes. Mitigation measures are underway, with the primary objective being the immediate halt of fire spot proliferation.

The resulting smog has prompted local authorities across Borneo—a region encompassing pristine rainforest and extensive plantations—to advise residents to remain indoors and wear masks. The smoke has also drifted into Malaysian Borneo, resulting in six areas within Sarawak state reporting unhealthy air quality levels.

The total burned area has already surpassed the extent recorded during previous El Nino seasons in 2019 and 2023, though it remains smaller than the devastation seen in 2015 during an exceptionally strong El Nino cycle. El Nino is a natural climate phenomenon causing worldwide shifts in rainfall patterns, air pressure, and winds, typically triggering drought conditions across Indonesia. These effects are further amplified by climate change, as a warmer atmosphere and ocean supply additional energy and moisture to extreme weather events.