In the provinces of Central Java and East Kalimantan, thousands of residents gathered at makeshift altars on August 23, chanting prayers and lighting incense despite thick, choking smoke from raging wildfires. The blazes, sparked by a prolonged drought and illegal land‑clearing practices, have scorched over 1.2 million hectares of forest and plantation land, forcing more than 15,000 people to evacuate. Local religious leaders urged communities to seek divine intervention, while the government deployed additional firefighting aircraft and promised emergency relief. Satellite imagery shows the fire front advancing toward densely populated areas, prompting international aid offers from neighboring countries and NGOs focused on fire suppression and reforestation.
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