Indonesian authorities carried out a water bombing operation on Saturday to prevent wildfires from spreading in the future capital city Nusantara, a city official told AFP.
The archipelago is constructing a new capital city in Borneo, home to vast tropical jungle, to replace sinking and traffic-clogged Jakarta.
The country is also fighting to contain wildfires that have burned large swathes of Sumatra and Borneo, which caused choking haze that has drifted across the border to Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.
Fires have been intensifying since mid-August in buffer areas outside the core area in Nusantara, where the city’s development is concentrated, Nusantara authority environment and natural resources deputy Myrna Asnawati Safitri said.
It prompted authorities to carry out a water bombing operation to complement on-the-ground firefighting efforts, she added.
“The function of water bombing is not only to extinguish fires but also to accelerate cooling in areas that have been extinguished by ground firefighters,” Myrna said.
The operation will last until Sunday, but Myrna said it can be extended if necessary.
So far, Nusantara’s construction has not been hampered by wildfires or haze, she said.
Then-president Joko Widodo revived the long-proposed capital move from Jakarta when he won a second term in 2019.
But construction has slowed down under his predecessor Prabowo Subianto, as the former general prioritised his welfare programmes including a free meal scheme for students.
As president-elect, Prabowo said he wanted to “continue, if possible, finish” the capital move, but since taking office in 2024, he has yet to express any plans to sign the presidential decree needed to shift from Jakarta.
His spokesman, Prasetyo Hadi, said Nusantara should be ready to host the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government before the move can take place, local media reported.
