Women Fight Indonesia's Worst Wildfires

Indonesia is grappling with its most severe wildfires in more than ten years, particularly affecting Borneo and Sumatra islands. The fires, intensified by the El Niño weather pattern and prolonged dry seasons, have caused widespread environmental damage and health problems, including respiratory illnesses. As of September 24, 2026, the sky over Borneo is thick with smoke, and a concerning silence has fallen over the usually vibrant bird population in areas like Sungai Awan Kiri.

Amidst this crisis, an all-women volunteer firefighting group named The Power of Mama, consisting of over 140 members including farmers and stay-at-home mothers, is actively engaged in combating the blazes. Trained by the environmental group YIARI since 2022, these women patrol on motorcycles, identify hotspots, and extinguish visible fires. They also advocate against the use of fire for clearing land for palm oil plantations, a practice that escalates fire risks.

The challenge is compounded by fires smoldering underground in Borneo's highly combustible peatlands. These subterranean fires, along with visible blazes, pose a constant threat exacerbated by the current dry conditions and depleted water supplies. The government has deployed over 50 aircraft for water bombing and cloud seeding, but the fires, which have already consumed approximately 202,000 hectares nationally from January to July 2026, may persist until early November due to a delayed rainy season.