ClimatePolitics

What’s fueling Indonesia’s worst wildfire season in a decade?

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 30/10/2026, 08:30:23 UTC.

Briefings

Indonesia experienced its worst wildfire season in a decade, burning over 4.6 million acres since August 2026. The fires were driven by a super-strong El Niño causing severe drought, leading to peatland fires that smolder underground for months. Over 300,000 Indonesians sought treatment for respiratory issues, and air quality exceeded unhealthy thresholds 13 times more often than normal. The fires occurred in Kalimantan and Sumatra, with smoke spreading to neighboring countries. While the government blamed farmers clearing land for oil palm, the root cause remains unclear, with some evidence suggesting unmanaged lands near plantations were primary drivers. Public health impacts are severe, with millions breathing toxic haze, though the specific role of climate change versus human activity remains debated.

Key points

• Over 4.6 million acres of Indonesia burned since August 2026, creating a decade's worst wildfire season.
• A super-strong El Niño caused severe drought, drying out peatlands and fueling underground smoldering fires.

Context

Indonesia is one of the world's most populated and disaster-prone nations, facing recurring crises from cyclones and landslides. The current fires are the latest environmental crisis, occurring alongside ongoing deforestation and peatland degradation. The fires are linked to a super-strong El Niño, which has sent Indonesia into a severe drought, drying out peatlands found across the country. Peat, a soil packed with partially-decayed plant matter, is highly flammable when dried out, especially when farmers clear vegetation to make room for crops.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to recent scenes and government statements; specific causal links between El Niño and fire intensity are not fully quantified. Some details about the exact number of people affected or the precise timeline of the El Niño impact remain uncertain. The source text cuts off mid-sentence, and specific data on deforestation rates prior to 2022 is not provided.

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