Updated on October 29, 2015 at 2:15 PM IST: A brief spell of rain has provided marginal relief from hazy conditions in and around Indonesia. The region has been struggling to cope with wildfires which have given birth to an environmental catastrophe. These fires are also being viewed as an imminent threat to wildlife and health.
A 90-minute spell of rain increased visibility to the extent that commercial airlines received a green signal for take off. The ongoing manual water bombings have done well to control these fires. As per the forecast, more rain is expected in the region this week. If Indonesia continues to receive rain throughout the week, there's a very good chance that these fires will finally be doused.
Updated on October 27, 2015 at 11:45 AM IST: Indonesian wildfires continue to advance and have now reached dense forests thereby threatening about one-third of the world’s surviving orangutans.
Conservationists have expressed their concern over these fires which have, unusually as it seems, entered deep into forests and even national parks this year.
After being labelled as a crime against humanity, the Indonesian wildfires burning across the country are now being viewed as an imminent threat to wildlife and biodiversity. Thousands of troops, fighter jets, helicopters, and warships, are a part of Indonesia’s biggest mission in history, aimed at controlling these wildfires.
Meanwhile in Philippines, two major airlines cancelled three important domestic flights due to extremely hazy conditions triggered by the fires in Indonesia. Respiratory infection cases continue to rise across Southeast Asian countries as the fires in Indonesia have swallowed the region in a thick blanket of smaze.
Updated on October 26, 2015 at 1:00 PM IST: Flights have been grounded, schools have been shutdown, events have been cancelled, and cases of respiratory infections have now touched the half a million mark. Indonesian wildfires, after being labelled as an environmental catastrophe, are now being viewed as a 'crime against humanity'.
Indonesian officials have arrested seven company executives in relation to the illegal wildfires causing havoc in Southeast Asia. Although these fires are an annual affair, this year's fires are being deemed as the worst ever, mainly due to an intensifying El-Nino.
The Pollution Standard Index (PSI) has touched 2000 in some parts, and is dangerously high above the 300-mark, which is considered safe. With 500,000 cases of acute respiratory tract infections being reported in the region, Indonesian wildfires may have already caused irreversible and incalculable damage.
Updated on October 25, 2015 at 4:30 PM IST: Although troops have tamed wildfires at 35 hot spots in Indonesia, experts have warned that these fires could last for about a month or so.
It has already been made clear that these Indonesian wildfires are the worst on record. An intensifying El-Nino has led to extremely dry conditions in the region and new fires continue to surface.
The fires are now being touted as something which is beyond human intervention. An environmental catastrophe in every sense, emissions from these fires exceed those of the entire US economy. When viewed from space, a big patch of smoke is what these fires look like.
Updated on October 23, 2015 at 5:50 PM IST: Singapore, Australia and Japan are among the countries that have sent aircraft, firefighters or chemicals and experts to help fight the forest and brush fires that have raged for months in Indonesia. The absence of rain and intentional burning, reasons behind the wildfires, resulted in wildfires that affected weather in neighboring Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
So far, 26000 Indonesian soldiers have been deployed to fight the wild fires.
Updated on October 20, 2015 at 10:50 AM IST: As many as 1,20,000 people across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand are seeking medical help on account of breathing problems. Indonesian wildfires have literally choked nearby Southeast Asian countries in thick and dense haze.
As per weather experts, thousands of wildfires cropping up across Indonesia are a sign of an intensifying global El-Nino event. This also translates into some really bad news for Earth's atmosphere.
A majority of Indonesian wildfires are consuming ancient reserves of carbon-rich peat which is found in wetlands. So far, the fires alone have caused $14 billion in damage this year. Not to forget the environmental damage which may take decades to fulfill.
Updated on October 19, 2015 at 14:13 PM IST: A forest wildfire on Mount Lawu in Indonesia's Java island claimed the lives of seven hikers on Sunday. Two hikers sustained major burns and are currently under observation. Their condition remains critical as they have suffered 50 per cent burns. As per authorities, the area where the incident took place had been closed for hiking.
Smoke from the Indonesian wildfires has enveloped nearby nations of Singapore, Malaysia, and even southern parts of Thailand. This has disrupted the flow of air traffic in the region and schools have been shut due to health issues. Pollution levels have reached alarming levels and international aid is pouring in to help Indonesia control the fires.
Story first published on October 18, 2015: On Friday, Indonesia launched its biggest operation till date to tackle wildfires enveloping Southeast Asian countries in haze. Fires illegally started to clear fields for plantation have left countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in thick, dense haze.
The ‘notorious’ El-Nino weather system has led to bone-dry conditions in Indonesia. Although such wildfires are a common annual affair, weather scientists have warned that this year’s blazes might just be the worst ever due to the dry weather conditions prevailing in the region.
Jakarta has said yes to international help after weeks of failed attempts aimed at controlling the wildfires. The country, on Friday, launched a large-scale operation which includes 32 planes and helicopters, out of which six are from Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Some 22,000 personnel including army troops are a part of this operation.
If this was not enough, new fires continue to sprout across the region due to extremely dry weather conditions. Air quality levels in the region continue to plummet as schools have also been shut.
On Friday, when Indonesia committed a large force to contain the fires, Japan donated two tons of flame retardant to the operation. As per a report by Global Fire Emissions Database, Indonesia has witnessed close to 100,000 active fires in 2015. These fires have led to emissions on a daily basis. These emissions exceed the average per day emissions from the entire US Economic activity. It is now being deemed as a major climate catastrophe.
(Featured Image Credit: theguardian.com)
