Climate
Indonesia Faces Worst Fire Crisis in 11 Years Amid Delayed Rainy Season
While hotspots and carbon emissions have begun to decline, hundreds of thousands of citizens are suffering from respiratory issues as haze spreads across Southeast Asia.
Photo: Muhamad Izzul Fiqih / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
According to reports from Reuters on October 22, 2026, Indonesia is currently battling its most severe fire crisis in 11 years. The environmental emergency has been exacerbated by a delay in the rainy season; while the rains typically arrive in October, they are not expected until November this year. The resulting haze has not remained within Indonesia's borders, spreading to affect neighboring Singapore and Malaysia.
Data from Copernicus indicates that carbon dioxide emissions from the fires reached 14.44 million tons between October 15 and October 21. While still high, this figure represents a decrease from the 22.22 million tons produced during the previous week. Similarly, the number of high-confidence hotspots has seen a recent decline. On Thursday, officials recorded 565 hotspots, down from the more than 1,200 hotspots identified on October 14, 2026.
The Indonesian government has significantly scaled up its response to the disaster. There are currently more than 69,000 personnel fighting the flames, a substantial increase from the 44,000 individuals deployed in mid-September. This massive ground force is supported by approximately 50 aircraft tasked with waterbombing and weather-modification operations. Authorities have designated six priority provinces for these efforts: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan.
The fires have taken a heavy toll on public health. Citing the Health Ministry, the Antara news agency reported 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infection across the country. In a single day, as many as 4,522 cases were recorded. This health crisis has sparked civil unrest, with students organizing protests in Samarinda and Borneo to demand action.
In response to the ongoing situation, President Prabowo has issued a stern warning to the private sector. The President has threatened to revoke the business permits of any companies found to be repeatedly violating environmental rules. This political pressure comes as the nation continues to wait for the delayed rains to provide relief to the scorched landscape.
Source: Reuters
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