Pulang Pisau (Indonesia) (AFP) – Firefighters in Indonesia have intensified their battle against wildfires across the archipelago, using cloud seeding and water bombing as officials warn of the smoke and haze being produced by the blazes. On the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, more than five million people have been directly exposed to the haze, according to deputy health minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono. Between January and July this year, more than 200,000 hectares have been burnt across Indonesia, as the country experiences its latest El Nino season. The naturally occurring climate phenomenon brings worldwide changes in winds, air pressure and rainfall patterns, and is typically experienced as drought in Indonesia.
