August 4, 2026 | 04:10 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Every day over the past month, smoke has blanketed Kuala Dua village in Sungai Raya subdistrict, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan. The haze has grown so dense that dozens of villagers—mostly women and children—have been evacuated. "Only the husbands remain behind to protect their homes from the fire," said Rahmat Zaini, Head of the Kuala Dua Fire Aware Community, when contacted on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
The effects of the smoke have already begun to emerge. Over the past week, at least three children from Kuala Dua were rushed to the hospital after being diagnosed with acute respiratory infections (ARI).
Zaini estimated that the actual number of villagers suffering from respiratory distress is far higher. Most of the village has been engulfed in smoke from the forest and land fires. He shared several videos documenting his team's latest firefighting efforts. Thick columns of smoke billowed skyward, glowing reddish from the massive embers burning beneath the surface. That Wednesday night, the village—just 20 kilometers south of Pontianak—looked like an inferno.
Kubu Raya Health Agency Head Wan Iwansyah confirmed that cases of acute respiratory infections have begun to appear. So far, however, he said the increase has not been significant. "The numbers could rise next week as the haze persists," Iwansyah said on Tuesday, July 28.
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