Indonesia’s Burning Forests Force Emergency Rescue of Critically Endangered Orangutans as Haze Chokes Southeast Asia

Forest and land fires in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, escalated beyond burning trees and brush in August 2026, directly threatening local wildlife and pushing orangutans out of their natural homes [233343]. Rescue teams were deployed to evacuate the apes from areas near palm oil plantations, where they had sought refuge from the advancing smoke and heat [233343].

The fires have consumed critical sections of the Bornean rainforest that serve as the apes’ primary home and food source, leaving many orangutans facing starvation, dehydration, and displacement [232544]. Conservationists warn that the loss is especially severe because Borneo is one of the last places on Earth where wild orangutans still live, and the species is already classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) [232544][228742].

In a separate operation, Indonesian authorities relocated three Bornean orangutans (*Pongo pygmaeus*) to a safer area as the severe dry season threatens their habitat [228742]. The relocation site was chosen for its reliable water supply and dense canopy, offering better chances for survival [228742].

Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that forest and land fire hotspots are increasing in West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan, and he has designated these two provinces as the highest priority for fire prevention and control efforts [233309].

The fires are also having a regional impact. Smoke from the wildfires blanketed the Philippine capital on Tuesday, forcing health warnings as air quality in Manila plunged to “acutely unhealthy” levels [232633]. The haze traveled nearly 2,000 kilometers from Kalimantan, carried by southwesterly winds [232633]. In Malaysia’s Bornean state of Sarawak, the air pollutant index topped 400 in the worst-hit district, with the district of Serian recording a reading of 476—well above the hazardous threshold of 300 [231439].

The Indonesian National Armed Forces has sent 442 special forces soldiers to help fight the widening wildfires [233331]. The troops, known as the Alpha Team, come from four elite units across the army, navy, and air force [233331]. Their tasks will include clearing firebreaks, evacuating residents if needed, and supporting aerial water-bombing missions [233331].

Authorities have also opened investigations into three companies operating in Jambi Province over suspected violations linked to wildfires [233330]. The probes focus on whether the companies breached land-clearing rules that prohibit burning forests [233330]. Environmental groups have long accused palm oil and pulpwood firms of using fire to clear land cheaply, despite a national ban [233330].

The orangutan plays a vital role in forest regeneration by spreading seeds, and without them, the entire ecosystem weakens [232544]. Environmental groups are calling for immediate international support to contain the fires and protect the remaining habitats, stressing that without urgent action, the orangutan population in Borneo could collapse within the next decade [232544].