Indonesia Accepts Foreign Aid to Fight Worst Forest Fires

President Prabowo Subianto approved the acceptance of foreign firefighting assistance on October 15 to combat the worst forest fire season Indonesia has faced in over a decade. Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir announced the decision following aid offers from Singapore and Malaysia, noting that the situation is receiving the direct attention of the president.

The move follows a period of internal government ambivalence. Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat previously argued that the government needed to curate offers to ensure they fit operational needs rather than making mistakes. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency is now managing the technical discussions to integrate this support.

Lieutenant-General Kristomei Sianturi, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, stated he is assessing local and central government assets to identify exactly which international resources are required to accelerate firefighting efforts. The fires, driven by a strong El Nino phenomenon and concentrated in Sumatra and Kalimantan, have created widespread haze across Southeast Asia, resulting in flight cancellations, school closures, and a rise in respiratory illnesses.