Indonesia holds back from declaring its forest fires a national disaster

12 October 2026

Indonesia has decided not to declare its prolonged forest fires a national disaster for now. Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman announced the decision after a limited cabinet meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto on 12 October 2026, saying the country was still capable of handling the situation. He said offers of international assistance were not discussed at the meeting. Fires have affected Central Kalimantan, including Tanjung Puting National Park and its surroundings, South Sumatra and the Liang Anggang Protected Forest in Banjarbaru in South Kalimantan. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said authorities must stay on high alert for another month, with rain not expected in parts of the country until mid-November or December, and reported action against 26 companies, including five forestry concession holders in Kalimantan whose permits were revoked on 21 September 2026. Haze has covered parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for weeks; Malaysian carriers cancelled flights and Singapore revived a health subsidy scheme for the first time in more than a decade.