Australia Sends Aircraft to Assist Indonesia with Wildfires

The Australian government has deployed a military transport aircraft to help Indonesia combat wildfires in Borneo, both countries confirmed. The fires have caused toxic haze affecting the region and impacting public health.

The C-130 Hercules plane left Jakarta for East Kalimantan on November 5 to join local water-bombing efforts, according to the Indonesian disaster agency chief. The aircraft can drop 15,000 litres of water per sortie, or just over 100,000 litres per day.

Ambassador Rod Brazier noted the enduring friendship between the two countries, recalling Indonesia’s past assistance during Australia’s 2020 bushfires. The air operation is scheduled to run from November 6 to 12, with a Cessna Citation aircraft and 20 personnel also being sent.

Nusantara Atlas, a deforestation monitor, estimates the blazes have consumed more than 1.9 million hectares of land in the first nine months of the year. Experts say much of the destruction is linked to slash-and-burn practices, often associated with the expansion of timber, palm oil, and mining operations.

The Indonesian health ministry reported that more than 400,000 people have been treated for acute respiratory ailments caused by the toxic haze as of November 4.