Choking Orange Smoke Swallows Indonesian City as Air Turns Hazardous

Thick orange smoke from forest and land fires smothered the city of Palangka Raya in Central Kalimantan on Saturday, October 24, turning the sky a deep amber and cutting visibility on its streets.

X user Tutu Tata filmed the haze outside a shop at 1:34 p.m., where motorbikes emerge from the smoke on a road lined with traditional-roofed buildings and power lines fade into the orange gloom. Later in the afternoon, the filmer’s car dashcam captured streets lined with palm trees almost swallowed by yellow smoke as drivers crawled along with their lights on.

The city’s fire monitoring dashboard recorded an air quality index of 1,247 at 11 a.m., far above the level of 300 at which air is classed as hazardous in Indonesia. Residents complained of breathing problems and stinging eyes, and many wore masks while riding motorbikes.

The head of the Tjilik Riwut meteorological station, Sugiyono, said on Friday that visibility had dropped below 300 meters and that sunlight was not getting through. “This also shows that the smoke is very thick,” Sugiyono said.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin visited Palangka Raya on Friday and urged people to stay indoors. “Don’t leave the house if it isn’t necessary, especially vulnerable groups, toddlers, pregnant women and the elderly,” Sadikin said, advising anyone who must go out to wear an N95 mask.