Indonesian President Joko Widodo is scheduled to visit the Sumatran province of Jambi this weekend to survey efforts to quell forest fires that have sent air pollution indexes into hazardous territory and forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights in the region, according to The Jakarta Globe.
Joko would visit Solok village in Muarojambi district on Friday, along with Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, according to acting Jambi governor Irman.
The president will also visit the province’s main airport, Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin, which has been closed for long stretches of time in the past few months because of drastically reduced visibility due to the haze, and a community health center treating residents suffering from respiratory ailments as a result of the smoke.
With the air clearing in recent days, Irman said there should be no problems with the presidential jet landing at Sultan Thaha.
Earlier this month, the president was forced to cancel a visit to Muarojambi because the haze prevented him from flying there.
Prior to his trip to Jambi, Joko will celebrate the Islamic holiday of Idul Adha in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Thursday.
He and his entourage will then fly to Medan, North Sumatra, to visit residents forced to evacuate from their homes on the slopes of the erupting Mount Sinabung in nearby Karo district. The president previously instructed that relocation efforts for the evacuees be completed before the end of the year.
Also on Thursday, Joko is scheduled to inspect the ongoing construction of the Medan-Kualanamu-Tebing Tinggi section of the Trans-Sumatra highway.