Full Breakdown
Wildfires Near Indonesia’s New Capital Spark Regional Haze Crisis
9/5/2026, 8:47:48 PM
Core Event
On September 4, authorities reported wildfires spreading around Indonesia’s under-construction capital, Nusantara. Fires had burned roughly 400 ha near the city as of September 2, including about 300 ha at Bukit Suharto forest park, 50 km from the centre. The disaster mitigation agency received a request from the Nusantara project authority for cloud-seeding and water-bombing, and a helicopter from South Kalimantan was slated for missions.
Simultaneously, Malaysia declared a state of emergency in Sarawak’s Serian district after the Air Pollution Index (API) surged to 519, surpassing the national emergency threshold of 500. The emergency covers a roughly 20-km radius, keeping essential services open while suspending non-essential activities and closing 647 schools.
Background & Context
The $32 billion Nusantara project, announced in 2019 to replace Jakarta, aims to ease congestion, flooding and land subsidence. Since President Prabowo Subianto took office in 2024, the project has faced budget cuts and delays. A “super El Niño” has intensified Indonesia’s dry season, fueling forest and peatland fires across Borneo and Sumatra.
Trans-border haze from Indonesian fires regularly affects Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines. This year’s fires have been severe, with satellite data detecting 717 hot spots nationwide since early August and 103 active hot spots in the previous 24 hours.
Data & Statistics
- Fires near Nusantara: ~400 ha total; 300 ha at Bukit Suharto.
- Indonesia’s fire-affected area: 73,311 ha across six provinces.
- Fire-fighting assets: 53 aircraft for water-bombing and seeding; additional Japanese support.
- Arrests: 112 individuals suspected of arson in ten provinces.
- Malaysian API: 519 in Serian; 311 in Kuching.
- School closures: 647 schools in Serian; population affected: just under 106,000.
Official Statements & Responses
Agus Riyanto, director for emergency response at Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, urged immediate cloud-seeding and water-bombing, noting clouds were currently insufficient but would be used when possible.
In Malaysia, King Sultan Ibrahim consented to the emergency declaration after advice from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg. Sarawak Disaster Management Committee chairman Douglas Uggah Embas emphasized that the emergency is limited to Serian and urged residents to minimize outdoor activities.
Religious leader Rusdi Abdullah led “Istisqo” prayers, asking for divine forgiveness and rain.
On-the-Ground Reports
Ms. Irfan Zulkarnain, a fruit-stall worker, experienced a nosebleed and coughing fit, which a doctor attributed to the haze.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media accounts differ on whether the emergency in Serian had been formally declared or was still pending a royal decree. API readings also vary slightly, with one report citing 519 and another noting 515 for the same day. No public information is available on the effectiveness of the planned cloud-seeding operations or the timeline for fire containment.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We must seek God's forgiveness and if it's granted, Allah will send abundant rain,” — Rusdi Abdullah
What’s Next
Indonesia’s agency will conduct cloud-seeding when conditions allow and continue water-bombing with domestic and Japanese aircraft. Malaysia’s Sarawak authorities will maintain cloud-seeding through at least the following Monday and monitor API levels to decide when to lift the emergency. Cross-border coordination aims to mitigate further haze impacts.
