In Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesian Muslims gathered to perform a special prayer for rain as rampant wildfires scorched peatlands in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The event was held on August 25, 2026, amidst critical environmental conditions.
South Sumatra, currently hosting the highest number of wildfire hot spots, has been engulfed in a haze that impacts air quality and visibility. Alongside traditional firefighting efforts, authorities have turned to prayer due to an extended dry spell that increases fire risk.
Latest satellite data from the Environment Ministry shows that South Sumatra leads with 1,429 hot spots, while West Kalimantan follows with 1,226, and Central Kalimantan with 811. Forestry Ministry data reveals that in July alone, nearly 940 square kilometers (363 square miles) of land were incinerated, with over 20 square kilometers (8 square miles) in South Sumatra alone.
“As people of faith, we are also praying to God to send rain so that life can return to normal,” South Sumatra Gov. Herman Deru stated at the event.
Approximately 3,000 residents participated in the courtyard of the governor’s office, facing a thick smoke screen that forced drivers to keep car headlights on during daylight.
Emergency workers combat the fires, compounded by an intensifying El Nino and prolonged dry season, producing smoke that affects neighboring Malaysia and Brunei. The National Disaster Management Agency escalates weather-modification techniques to alleviate fires by inducing rain. This involves deploying 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing operations in Kalimantan, alongside 22 helicopters in Sumatra.
Authorities have detained 72 individuals suspected of setting fires, as they investigate several companies for land-clearing purposes through fire. This cost-effective method is often used by plantation owners and farmers, although it causes detrimental haze affecting travel, health, and regional diplomacy.
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