Non-governmental organizations opened two shelters in Palangkaraya on Indonesia`s Borneo island on Friday to protect babies and children from hazardous wildfire smoke, according to Channel NewsAsia.
The initiative comes as more than five million people across the islands of Borneo and Sumatra face direct exposure to severe health risks caused by dozens of raging wildfires. A prolonged dry season, exacerbated by an intensifying El Nino weather pattern, has fueled widespread land and forest fires across the Southeast Asian archipelago.
The newly established shelters in Central Kalimantan are equipped with essential supplies, including baby formula, oxygen cylinders, medical provisions, and safe play areas for infants. Officials and local volunteers designed the facilities to provide a clean-air refuge for young children suffering from severe coughs, colds, and breathing difficulties triggered by the dense haze.
Local parents reported that thick dust and smoke blanket residential areas heavily during the afternoon and evening hours, making outdoor conditions hazardous. Families have increasingly sought assistance at the shelters to safeguard their children`s respiratory health amid worsening air quality.
Government data indicates that fires have scorched approximately 285,000 hectares of land since January, a territory roughly three times the size of Jakarta. This extensive burning has released massive amounts of toxic particulate matter into the atmosphere, blanketing cities in choking smog and reducing visibility significantly.
Indonesia`s Ministry of Health has reported a sharp increase in acute respiratory infections nationwide, with emergency rooms in affected provinces handling thousands of weekly cases. Health authorities have identified children, pregnant women, and elderly residents as the most vulnerable demographics facing potential long-term organ damage from prolonged smoke exposure.
In response to the escalating crisis, national disaster management agencies and environmental ministries have intensified firefighting operations. Authorities have deployed aerial water-dropping helicopters and conducted cloud-seeding operations using salt dispersion to stimulate rainfall over active fire zones.
Government officials have also warned that strict legal action will be pursued against any individuals or corporate entities found responsible for illegally clearing land through open burning. Several companies linked to widespread blazes have already faced regulatory sanctions and site seizures.
The transboundary nature of the disaster has also affected neighboring countries, with thick haze drifting across international borders into Malaysia and prompting school closures in affected states. National authorities have distributed millions of protective face masks and urged citizens to minimize outdoor activities.
Public health experts emphasize that until the blazes are fully extinguished and air quality returns to safe levels, vulnerable populations will remain at high risk. The ongoing crisis highlights the urgent need for long-term environmental protections and effective wildfire prevention strategies across the region.
