Forest fires trigger severe haze; Indonesia travel alert raised to yellow

▲ Indonesia’s travel alert has been raised to yellow due to forest fires. (Photo shows Lombok Island, Indonesia, taken by reporter You...)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

According to the Bureau of Consular Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, continuous forest fires in Riau Province on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island have caused severe haze, with air quality reaching levels that may harm human health. The situation has affected flight operations and led to school closures, prompting the province to declare a state of emergency.

Officials from Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that over 20 suspects suspected of starting the fires have been arrested. After declaring a state of emergency, Riau Province has sought assistance from the central government and plans to induce artificial rainfall to combat the fires. However, due to the vast area affected by the forest fires, firefighting efforts have so far had limited success.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains a “yellow” travel alert for Indonesiaand advises nationals planning to visit the affected areas in the near future to contact their airlines before flying to confirm flight status, and to pay attention to local reports on air pollution indices to ensure a smooth trip and protect their health.

If nationals encounter emergencies in Indonesia and need assistance, they can call the emergency contact number of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Indonesia: (62)811-984-676 (direct dial within Indonesia: 0811-984-676), or dial the international access code +886-800-085-095 to contact the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs Emergency Contact Center.”

The travel alerts issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs serve as reference information for nationals traveling abroad. They are advisory in nature and do not necessarily affect the application of standardized terms in overseas travel contracts, nor do they carry mandatory binding force. Nationals should still make their own travel decisions. In case of unresolved travel-related consumer disputes, they may file a complaint and request mediation with the Travel Quality Assurance Association of the Republic of China (Address: 11F, No. 78, Sec. 2, Chang’an E. Rd., Taipei City; Tel: 2506-8185) or the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (Address: 9F, No. 290, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Taipei City; Free complaint hotline: 0800-211-734).