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Indonesia Deploys Dry Ice as Haze Crisis Worsens
15 Oct
Summary
- Dry ice dispersal by plane is a new pilot project in South Sumatra.
- Indonesia faces its worst fire season in over a decade, causing severe haze.
- Neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia are also heavily impacted.
Indonesia has initiated a new pilot project, dispersing dry ice from aircraft over South Sumatra, in an unprecedented effort to combat the severe haze blanketing the region. This comes after other methods like water bombing and cloud seeding proved insufficient.
The nation is experiencing its most intense fire season in more than ten years, exacerbated by an extreme El Niño and persistent land-clearing practices. Nearly 900,000 hectares have burned since January, leading to widespread toxic smoke.
The resulting smog has significantly impacted air quality in neighboring countries, including Singapore and Malaysia, forcing school closures and grounding flights. Singapore has reinstated subsidies for haze-related medical treatments and is distributing masks.
Experts suggest the dry ice technique, first used in the 1940s, may provide only temporary, localized improvements. The prevailing east-to-west weather patterns mean cleared areas could quickly be re-affected by ongoing smoke.
Despite stepped-up firefighting orders and a crackdown on arsonists, the government faces challenges, particularly with peatland fires that burn underground for extended periods. The interconnected nature of climate change suggests this regional issue could escalate into a global problem.
