Indonesia Fires Rage: 7 Million Acres Lost

Fires in Indonesia have burned through an alarming 7.1 million acres in 2026, a figure significantly exceeding the worst recorded year in 2019. This vast area, nearly a million hectares larger than a previous September estimate, highlights the severity of the current fire season. The intense drought, driven by a strong El Nino weather pattern, is a primary factor. Compounding this are decades of deforestation and the draining of peatlands for plantations, which have rendered large land areas exceptionally vulnerable to flames. These devastating fires have resulted in severe local air pollution, leading to hundreds of thousands of illnesses. Haze has also spread to neighboring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore. Although recent rainfall has brought some of the worst fires under control, the total burned area is projected to rise further as remaining fires are extinguished and previously obscured burn scars become visible.