Smog Blankets Palembang as Forest and Land Fires Spread Across Sumatra

Smog from forest and land fires has enveloped the city of Palembang, with the haze significantly reducing visibility along the Musi River. The fires, which have been burning for several weeks during the dry season, are affecting multiple regions across Sumatra and Kalimantan. Satellite monitoring by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has detected smoke distribution in South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. The government, along with various agencies, is continuing efforts to tackle the fires through patrols, firefighting operations, and weather modification techniques in a bid to suppress the number of hotspots and reduce the impact of smoke on public health.