As fires ravage Indonesia, emitting toxic smoke that has drawn the ire of regional neighbors, the government is testing an unusual new approach to tackle the haze: dry ice. Having previously tried cloud seeding, water bombing, and deploying army personnel to combat the fires, Indonesia’s coordinating security minister announced that dry ice would be dropped over the province of South Sumatra on Thursday.
“"This trial of dry ice dispersal is being conducted under the president’s direct instruction to help tackle the haze in South Sumatra," said minister Dudung Abdurachman, as reported by state news agency Antara. "We will first observe the results, and if effective, there is a possibility that this method could be implemented in other regions."
Since January, nearly 900,000 hectares have burned across Indonesia, marking the worst fire season in over a decade. This situation has been exacerbated by this year’s “godzilla” El-Nino and the ongoing practice of “slash and burn” to clear land for crops such as palm oil. For months, millions of Indonesians have endured thick smoke and an apocalyptic tangerine haze, leading to mounting criticism of the government’s response, including a class action lawsuit filed last week accusing it of “gross negligence.”
Tens of thousands have sought treatment for respiratory illnesses linked to the haze, which has also caused air quality to plummet in neighboring countries, resulting in school closures, grounded flights, and a spike in respiratory illnesses. The haze has drifted into Singapore, Malaysia, and as far as the Philippines. Timor-Leste announced it would close schools nationwide for three days starting Thursday and urged families to keep children indoors or use “respiratory protection” when outside. Singapore has rolled out subsidies for haze-related medical treatment, a measure last activated in 2015 during similar blazes, and has begun distributing N95 masks to eligible residents.
