Jakarta: Indonesia has expanded its nationwide response to forest and land fires as dry conditions continue to fuel outbreaks across several regions and smoke threatens to worsen air quality.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has moved beyond the country’s six main wildfire priority provinces, increasing firefighting operations in other areas where fire activity and smoke have become significant concerns.

The six primary provinces receiving intensified attention are Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan. Firefighting teams are also operating in parts of Java, Sulawesi, Maluku and North Kalimantan.

Authorities have deployed both ground teams and aircraft to tackle fires in difficult terrain. Water-bombing helicopters are being used in areas where fires are difficult to reach by road, while additional equipment and logistical supplies are being moved to locations requiring immediate assistance.

Indonesia’s weather agency has warned that smoke from fires in Kalimantan could spread toward the Riau Islands in the coming days. Limited rainfall in some areas is making it harder for natural conditions to clear the haze.

The wildfire situation has also created serious public-health concerns. Dense smoke can contain fine particles that irritate the respiratory system and can be particularly dangerous for children, older people and those with existing breathing problems.

Officials have urged residents in affected areas to limit unnecessary outdoor activities and use protective masks when exposure to smoke cannot be avoided.

The government is also using weather-modification operations in an effort to encourage rainfall over fire-affected areas. Authorities are combining these operations with aerial firefighting, ground suppression and patrols designed to identify new fires before they spread.

The prolonged dry period has increased the risk of additional fires, particularly in peatland areas. Officials have therefore emphasized prevention alongside emergency response.

Authorities are also strengthening enforcement against illegal land clearing through burning, while improving the collection and verification of fire data to distinguish satellite-detected hotspots from confirmed fires on the ground.

With smoke affecting visibility and air quality in several locations, Indonesian agencies are continuing to monitor the situation closely. The expansion of firefighting operations reflects concerns that the fire season could continue to place pressure on communities and the environment in the weeks ahead.