Indonesia tests dry ice as toxic wildfire haze spreads across Southeast Asia

Indonesia has launched a dry ice trial over South Sumatra as smoke from its worst wildfire season in more than a decade blankets Southeast Asia.

• Authorities began dropping 1.5 tons of dry ice over Palembang, South Sumatra, on Thursday to break down haze in the lower atmosphere.
• Coordinating minister Dudung Abdurachman said the trial runs under the president's direct instruction and may expand to other regions if effective.
• Nearly 900,000 hectares have burned across Indonesia this year, the worst fire season in over a decade, exacerbated by a strong El Niño.
• Timor-Leste closed schools nationwide for three days from Thursday, while Singapore began subsidies for haze-related medical treatment on Monday.
• President Prabowo Subianto personally ordered the dry ice trial after prior haze-control measures failed.
• A Cessna aircraft is releasing the 1.5 tons of dry ice over Palembang, South Sumatra.
• Experts caution that dry ice offers only limited, temporary improvement rather than a lasting haze solution.