Indonesia Wildfires Threaten World's Oldest Cave Paintings on Sulawesi Island
Indonesia's worst wildfires in over a decade, driven by severe El Niño conditions, threaten the world's oldest cave paintings on Sulawesi island. Fires have spread near limestone caves in the Maros-Pangkep region, home to prehistoric artworks dated over 67,000 years old, including hand stencils and human-like figures. Heat, smoke, and soot risk accelerating deterioration, while over 270 hectares of protected parkland have burned. Firefighters are working to contain the blazes to protect these culturally significant sites.
First-hand measurement across 2 sources
We measured how 2 outlets covered this story. No outlet gave this story a measurable political slant — there is no left–right reading to report. Overall sentiment is neutral (42/100). Lens Score 39/100.
Outlets measured: firstpost, thetribune. See how each one headlined and framed the same story in the source comparison below.
AI Analysis
Sentiment was consistent across outlets (38–45/100), indicating broadly factual reporting rather than editorialising.
Coverage timeline
thetribune broke this story on 23 Oct, 06:31 am. Other outlets followed.
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