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Indonesia Wildfires: Thousands Die From Smoke in September
31 Oct
Summary
- Indonesian wildfire smoke caused 3,560 deaths in September 2026.
- Over 57.8 million people breathed unhealthy or hazardous air in September.
- Health ministry recorded over 333,000 acute respiratory infections by October 21.
An estimated 3,560 individuals in Indonesia succumbed to smoke from wildfires in September 2026, doubling the death toll from August. This grim figure represents about two-thirds of all air pollution-related deaths in the country during September. The total number of people breathing air classified as unhealthy to hazardous surged by 40% from August to 57.8 million in September.
Central Kalimantan recorded the highest mortality rate due to fire smoke, reaching 14.1 deaths per 100,000 people in September. Across seven provinces, Indonesia's health ministry documented over 333,000 acute respiratory infections by October 21, a substantial increase from previous months, with a quarter of these cases involving children under five.
Satellite data indicates that fire activity in September surpassed records set during the 2015 haze crisis. Despite these escalating concerns, President Prabowo Subianto has yet to declare the fires a national emergency. The government has stated its deployment of firefighting resources and health personnel, alongside mask distribution, while experts advocate for peatland restoration as a long-term solution.
