What is Indonesia doing about the fires? posted at 03:35 BST03:35 BSTLiza Tambunan Jakarta Correspondent Authorities have deployed tens of thousands of people to fight the fires, particularly in six priority areas spread across Kalimantan and Sumatra. They are tasked with fighting fires both on the ground and above, including through cloud seeding operations to cause rain, as well as water bombing from helicopters. Japan and Malaysia have also assisted in these efforts. But the fires continue to burn, as official data shows the number of hotspots continues to fluctuate, rising again after a period of decline. Indonesia is experiencing its worst forest fires since 2015. Scientists say these fires are exacerbated by dry conditions caused by the current super El Niño. But environmental groups have also highlighted human activities as a contributing factor to these fires and are calling for stricter repercussions against corporations allegedly linked to the fires, particularly for illegal slash-and-burn activities. Amid a public outcry, President Prabowo Subianto has vowed to take firm action against corporations. declared responsible for forest and land fires. So far, authorities have revoked the permits of five companies accused of contributing to the fires, while dozens more have had their permits frozen.
