South Sumatra turns to prayer as wildfires choke Indonesian province

In South Sumatra, the Indonesian province with the most wildfire hot spots, authorities and residents are turning to spiritual measures as fires continue to scorch forests and peatland. On Tuesday, around 3,000 people gathered in Palembang, the provincial capital, to perform a special Islamic prayer for rain known as "salat istisqa."

Worshippers prayed in the courtyard of the governor's office while thick smoke shrouded the city, reducing visibility and forcing motorists to use headlights during the day. Local resident Tony Kurniawan said the community is praying for rain to end the fires and restore normal air quality. Another resident, Umi Kalsum, described how the haze has disrupted traffic and caused breathing difficulties.

Satellite data from the Environment Ministry shows South Sumatra leading the nation with 1,429 hot spots, followed by West Kalimantan with 1,226 and Central Kalimantan with 811. Forestry Ministry data indicates that nearly 940 square kilometers burned in July alone, including over 20 square kilometers in South Sumatra.

Governor Herman Deru said the public prayer complements ongoing firefighting and drought-mitigation efforts and serves as a moment for residents to unite. Emergency services are battling fires driven by an intensifying El Nino pattern and prolonged dry season, with smoke crossing into Malaysia and Brunei.

Authorities are intensifying weather-modification operations, using 30 aircraft for cloud-seeding and water-bombing over Kalimantan and 22 helicopters covering Sumatra. Police have arrested 72 people suspected of starting fires, while four companies are under investigation for allegedly using fire to clear land. Plantation owners and farmers often use fire for land clearing, triggering hazardous haze that disrupts transportation and threatens public health.