Indonesia fights massive forest fires as El Niño makes things worse

Hot, dry weather is fueling flames across the country, leading to dozens of arrests and fears of high pollution.

Indonesia is currently dealing with a major wildfire crisis. The weather is very hot and dry right now because of a climate event called El Niño. This weather makes it much easier for fires to start and spread quickly through the forests. Because the situation is so serious, the government is taking action. Officials are focusing their efforts on the Kalimantan region, where the number of fire "hotspots"—areas where fires are burning—is climbing rapidly. Firefighters are using planes to drop water from the sky in several provinces to try and put the flames out. Police are also cracking dow…