Indonesia wildfire haze disrupts flights as response expands
Thick smoke from forest fires has disrupted airline flights for several days in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province, with visibility in Pontianak falling below 1 kilometer as Indonesia expands firefighting operations with help from Japan and other international partners.
The disruption reported Monday, September 14, came as prolonged dry conditions and El Niño effects continued to raise wildfire risks across parts of Kalimantan. Poor visibility is affecting aviation and transportation, while persistent haze is raising health concerns and making firefighting more difficult.
Flights disrupted as haze covers Pontianak
Associated Press reporting from Pontianak said a white and yellow haze had blanketed the city since Friday, reducing visibility to less than 1 kilometer, or about 0.62 miles. The smoke has disrupted airline operations in West Kalimantan for several days.
Local officials said the smoke reaching Pontianak is not necessarily coming only from fires in West Kalimantan. Winds can carry smoke from fires in other Kalimantan provinces, where blazes also continue.
AP reported that seasonal fires are beginning to subside in some parts of Indonesia and that monitoring showed a decrease in high-confidence hotspots in West and Central Kalimantan. That monitoring result does not mean the wider fire and public-health problem has ended. Haze remains severe in parts of Kalimantan, and limited visibility continues to affect daily life and firefighting access.
Japan sends a ship, helicopters and 300 personnel
Japan’s firefighting support arrived in Kalimantan on Thursday, September 10. The deployment includes about 300 personnel, the landing ship JS Kunisaki and three CH-47 helicopters.
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces described the mission as disaster-relief and firefighting support, not a combat operation. AP reported that it is the first known overseas firefighting operation carried out by the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The helicopters are intended to help Indonesian authorities reach areas that are difficult for ground crews to access.
Indonesia is also coordinating aircraft and other assistance from partners including the United States, Russia, Australia, Canada and Ukraine. The expanded response increases available equipment and personnel, but smoke, poor visibility and dry ground conditions can still limit the effectiveness of firefighting operations.
Haze crosses borders and disrupts schools
The smoke has spread beyond Indonesia. AP reported that haze reached the Philippines, more than 800 kilometers away, and that air pollution breached an emergency-level threshold in part of Malaysia’s Sarawak state on Borneo.
Air pollution has also affected parts of Sumatra, where schools suspended in-person learning. AP reported that more than 1.4 million students across Indonesia had been affected by the haze.
The regional effects make the fires more than a local emergency. Travelers passing through Pontianak and other airports in West Kalimantan should check airline and airport advisories and expect possible delays or cancellations when visibility deteriorates.
Why the risk remains high
Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, said on September 7 that September 2026 remained a critical period for forest and land fires. The agency cited dry conditions, high hotspot potential, limited rainfall and the influence of El Niño. BMKG said El Niño could persist until early 2027, while West Kalimantan was among the provinces requiring priority attention.
BMKG also said smoke had begun spreading in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan and that monitoring showed higher concentrations of fine particulate pollution in some affected locations. The agency is supporting wildfire response through weather information, early warnings and weather-modification operations coordinated with Indonesia’s disaster-management authorities.
The next indicators to watch are rainfall, visibility, air-quality readings and hotspot trends. A sustained improvement in those conditions will matter more than any single daily decrease in detected hotspots. Until rainfall improves and haze clears, residents may continue to face hazardous air, transportation disruptions and interruptions to schools and other public services.
Sources
- Associated Press: Thick haze disrupts flights on Indonesia’s Borneo island
- BMKG: El Niño impacts remain a concern
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