Wildfires

Wildfires - Borneo

Vulnerable orangutans in West Borneo are under threat from wind whipped wildfires that have been exacerbated by the season’s extreme weather. Around 100 apes are safely housed in the International Animal Rescue (IAR) centre in Ketapang but local conservationists fear they will not be able to protect them if the blazes head their way. One large fire is already in the vicinity of the facility where the orangutans are undergoing rehabilitation.

The Indonesian government’s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG) warned last week of nearly 800 wildfire “hotspots” in the Bornean province of West Kalimantan. Tinderbox conditions have dried out vegetation and made fires far more likely in recent weeks, putting people’s health at risk as the resulting air pollution can lead to respiratory problems.