Indonesia's fires burn 1.9 million hectares as haze turns deadly
Fires burned over 1.9 million hectares in Indonesia from January to September 2026, 38% more than by the same point in 2019. El Niño, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole and land clearing drove them. CREA estimates 5,310 air-pollution deaths in September, and haze has strained ties with Singapore and Malaysia.
Event date:
The brief in 7 cards
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Note1 / 7
WHY IN NEWS?
- Indonesia recorded over 1.9 million hectares of fire-affected land between January and September 2026, according to the monitor Nusantara Atlas.
- El Niño-driven drought, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole and land-clearing practices fuelled the fires.
- The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) estimates 5,310 air-pollution deaths in Indonesia in September.
- About 58 million people were exposed to unhealthy or hazardous air. The haze spread to neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.
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WHAT IS DRIVING THE FIRES
The fires come from a mix of human land use and climate.
- Slash-and-burn clearing: Expansion of oil palm and pulpwood plantations encourages clearing forest by fire.
- El Niño: It prolonged the dry season across much of Indonesia, according to the weather agency BMKG.
- Positive IOD: It cut rainfall further alongside El Niño, making vegetation more flammable.
- Peatland degradation: Drained peat becomes highly combustible, letting fires smoulder underground.
- Governance failures: Weak enforcement and poor corporate accountability allow illegal land clearing.
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KEY CONCEPTS
- What is a positive Indian Ocean Dipole?
The IOD is a temperature difference between the western and eastern Indian Ocean. In a positive phase, waters near Indonesia turn cooler. Rainfall there drops, while East Africa gets wetter.
- Why do El Niño years bring fires to Indonesia?
During El Niño, warm water and rain clouds shift east across the Pacific. Indonesia's dry season becomes longer and harsher. A positive IOD at the same time deepens the drought.
- Why are peat fires so hard to fight?
Peat is waterlogged, partly decayed plant matter built up over thousands of years. When drained, it dries and burns slowly below the surface. Such fires can smoulder for weeks and release huge amounts of stored carbon.
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SCALE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
The table sets out the scale reported so far this year.
Indicator What has been reported Burned area About 1.92 million hectares, January–September 2026, per Nusantara Atlas Comparison 38% more than by end-September 2019 Hotspots Still trending upward in mid-October, according to Nusantara Atlas Wildlife Orangutans, Sumatran tigers and Bornean elephants lose habitat Carbon precedent The 2015 fires released an estimated 1.75 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases Repeated burning also damages soil fertility, disrupts watersheds and reduces how much carbon forests can absorb.
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HEALTH AND ECONOMIC TOLL
CREA's figures for September show how the smoke reached people. The table sets out the main estimates.
Measure Estimate Air-pollution deaths, September 5,310, up 42% from August Of which linked to fire smoke 3,560 People exposed to unhealthy or hazardous air About 58 million Acute respiratory infections 3,33,470 cases across seven provinces, up to 21 October Children under five Nearly a quarter of those infections Haze has also disrupted flights and tourism. Indigenous forest-dependent communities face displacement and loss of traditional resources.
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REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DIMENSIONS
- Transboundary pollution: Haze reaching Malaysia and Singapore turns forest fires into a regional environmental security issue.
- Singapore's action: Its environment agency issued notices to companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, 2014. The law lets Singapore act against firms causing haze abroad.
- Bilateral step: On 27 October 2026, Singapore and Indonesia said they would explore a joint task force to hold companies accountable.
- ASEAN framework: The 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution provides for prevention, monitoring and mutual help. Indonesia ratified it in 2014, the last member to do so.
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WAY FORWARD
These are suggested measures, not approved policy.
- Enforce zero burning, promote mechanical land clearing and penalise illegal fires.
- Rewet degraded peatlands by blocking drainage canals, and restore native vegetation.
- Strengthen satellite surveillance through NASA's MODIS and VIIRS sensors and Indonesia's SiPongi fire-monitoring system.
- Enforce concession-level audits and the polluter-pays principle.
- Strengthen ASEAN joint firefighting, real-time data sharing and emergency response.
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Sources
- The Hindu (coaching-note attribution; original article not directly accessed) · Page 7, as supplied by editor · 3 November 2026
- Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) · Press release: estimated smoke-linked deaths, total deaths, exposure and respiratory illnesses · 29 October 2026
- Nusantara Atlas — Indonesia’s 2026 fires: 1.9 million hectares affected by fire through September · Satellite assessment of January–September fire-affected area and 2019 comparison · 21 October 2026
- Al Jazeera / AFP · CREA findings and haze impacts · 30 October 2026
- Malay Mail / AFP · Nusantara Atlas burned-area estimate and fire hotspots · 19 October 2026
- Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) · Section 9 and 10 notices under Transboundary Haze Pollution Act · 23 October 2026
- Malay Mail — Singapore and Indonesia discuss joint task force · Proposed bilateral task force · 28 October 2026
- ASEAN Environment Knowledge Hub · 2002 agreement and Indonesia 2014 ratification approval / 2015 deposit · 21 January 2015
Syllabus
| Paper | Subject | Sub-topic |
|---|---|---|
| GS3 | Environment | Environment, conservation, pollution and disaster management |
| GS1 | Geography | Climate phenomena such as El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole |
| GS2 | International Relations | Regional groupings (ASEAN) and transboundary environmental cooperation |
| Prelims | Environment | Peatlands, IOD, ASEAN haze agreement, MODIS and VIIRS |
Topics
Practice questions
With reference to the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), consider the following statements: 1. A positive IOD is marked by cooler-than-usual waters near Indonesia; 2. A positive IOD usually brings heavier rainfall to Indonesia; 3. A positive IOD can occur in the same year as El Niño. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Answer: B. A positive IOD cools the eastern Indian Ocean and reduces rain over Indonesia; it often coincides with El Niño, as in 2019 and 2026.
Difficulty: medium · statement
Consider the following statements about peatlands: 1. They store large amounts of carbon in partly decayed plant matter; 2. Draining them lowers their fire risk; 3. Peat fires can burn underground for long periods. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Answer: B. Draining peat dries it and makes it more flammable, which is why rewetting is a key remedy.
Difficulty: medium · statement
The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was signed in:
Show answer
Answer: B. It was signed in 2002 after the severe 1997-98 haze; Indonesia ratified it only in 2014.
Difficulty: easy · statement
Mains practice
Answer-writing practice on this article. Attempt it first, then open the hints.
Indonesia's forest fires are as much a governance failure as a climate event. Examine this statement and discuss the lessons for managing transboundary pollution in South Asia.
Show hints
- Explain El Niño, the positive IOD and peat
- link plantations and weak enforcement
- set out health and regional costs
- cover the ASEAN agreement and Singapore's law
- draw parallels with stubble burning and cross-border air pollution in South Asia.