Indonesian wildfires edge closer to new capital Nusantara, prompting military response
Indonesia is facing its worst wildfire season in 11 years, with nearly 202,000 hectares of forest and peatland burned from January to June. Fires have been detected on over 400 hectares near the new capital Nusantara in East Kalimantan, prompting President Prabowo Subianto to deploy water-bombing drones and an aircraft carrier to combat the blazes. Authorities say the core government area remains unaffected, but the fires challenge the city's eco-friendly vision.
The wildfire season has been exceptionally severe, with over 14,000 hotspots recorded between August and early September, a sharp rise from the previous year. While the fires have scorched more than 400 hectares within the designated capital zone, officials confirm they remain roughly 35 kilometers from the central government area, which spans a vast 252,000-hectare site where only a quarter is slated for built infrastructure.
In response to the encroaching blazes, President Prabowo Subianto has mobilized advanced firefighting assets, including water-dropping drones and the Italian-donated aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, scheduled to arrive on September 17. Authorities maintain that air quality in the core zone has remained generally good since July, though the situation underscores the ecological challenges facing the planned "smart forest city."
The proximity of these fires could pose significant health risks to construction workers and early residents, potentially disrupting the capital's relocation timeline. The deployment of costly military assets may strain national resources, while recurring blazes could undermine public confidence in the project's eco-friendly vision. Furthermore, the smoke could affect regional air quality and agricultural livelihoods, highlighting the vulnerability of peatland areas to climate-driven drought.