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Toxic haze from Indonesian wildfires sickens tens of thousands

Toxic haze from Indonesian wildfires sickens tens of thousands

Force in Play

174,694 respiratory infections since August, including 40,363 toddlers; most patients recovered and fire hotspots fell sharply

September 23rd, 2026: Respiratory case count exceeds 170,000

Overview

Updated Sep 23

Indonesia's health ministry has recorded 174,694 acute respiratory infections since August in provinces hit by forest and land fires. More than 40,000 of the cases are toddlers; most patients have recovered, with 4,533 cases still active as of September 22.

Satellite data shows high-confidence fire hotspots fell from 1,532 to 688 between September 20 and 21. Smoke still blankets parts of Borneo, Sumatra, Malaysia, and Singapore. A 'super El Nino' has dried the region, and the rainy season isn't expected until November.

Why it matters

Toxic smoke from Indonesian peatland fires is crossing borders and sickening hundreds of thousands, with no relief expected until November rains.

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Key Indicators

174,694
Respiratory infection cases
Acute respiratory infections recorded in fire-affected areas from August to September 21
40,363
Toddler cases
Cases involving children under five, per the health ministry
734,000
Fire hotspots detected
Detected by Nusantara Atlas as of September 23, 30% more than 2019
8,957 sq km
Area burned since January
34% worse than 2019, per Nusantara Atlas data
688
Daily hotspots on Sept 21
High-confidence hotspots detected by SiPongi, down from 1,532 the previous day
4,533
Active respiratory cases
Cases still active as of September 22; the rest of the 174,694 patients recovered

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People Involved

TS
Then Suyanti
Director of Environmental Health, Indonesia's Ministry of Health
Announced most of the 174,694 respiratory patients have recovered; 4,533 cases still active
 David Gaveau
David Gaveau
Landscape ecologist, founder of Nusantara Atlas
Tracking fires and deforestation across Asia
 Raja Juli Antoni
Raja Juli Antoni
Forestry Minister, Indonesia
Announced revocation of five plantation permits on September 21; warned fires could continue until early November

Organizations Involved

Indonesia Ministry of Health
Indonesia Ministry of Health
Government Agency
Reported most of 174,694 respiratory patients have recovered; still deploying medical resources

Indonesia's health ministry has recorded 174,694 acute respiratory infections in fire-affected areas since August.
Nusantara Atlas
Nusantara Atlas
Independent Forest Monitoring Platform
Tracking fires and deforestation across Asia

Independent platform that has detected 734,000 hotspots across Indonesia as of September 23.
Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG)
Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG)
Government Agency
Forecasting rainy season onset in November

Indonesia's weather agency expects the rainy season to begin in November, with El Nino persisting into Q1 2027.
Indonesia Forestry Ministry
Indonesia Forestry Ministry
Government Agency
Tracking hotspots via SiPongi system and enforcing against slash-and-burn clearing

Operates the SiPongi fire monitoring system and revoked five plantation permits on September 21.

Timeline

August 2026 September 2026

10 events Latest: September 23rd, 2026 · 2 months ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Respiratory case count exceeds 170,000

    Latest Data

    Case count in fire-affected areas passes 170,000, with more than 40,000 involving toddlers.

  2. Health ministry says most patients recovered

    Statement

    The ministry said 4,533 of the 174,694 respiratory infection cases remained active as of September 22; the rest have recovered.

  3. Health ministry reports 174,694 cases

    Statement

    Then Suyanti announces 174,694 acute respiratory infections from August to September 21; 40,363 are toddlers.

  4. Nusantara Atlas reports 895,657 hectares burned

    Data

    Independent monitoring platform shows burned area since January is 34% worse than 2019.

  5. Daily fire hotspots drop sharply

    Data

    SiPongi satellite data showed 688 high-confidence hotspots nationwide, down from 1,532 the previous day. The six priority provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan saw a 74.6% drop.

  6. Government revokes five plantation permits

    Enforcement

    The Forestry Ministry revoked business permits held by five forest utilization license holders in West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan.

  7. Forestry minister warns fires could last until November

    Statement

    Raja Juli Antoni said fires could continue until early November, with the rainy season expected later than forecast. Health ministry data showed 12.5 million people exposed to haze.

  8. Case count doubles to 113,336

    Data

    Respiratory infection cases more than double in just over a week, per health ministry data.

  9. Case count reaches 50,891

    Data

    Health ministry records 50,891 respiratory infection cases in fire-affected areas.

  10. Health ministry begins tracking respiratory infections

    Monitoring

    Indonesia's health ministry starts recording acute respiratory infections in areas affected by forest and land fires.

Scenarios

1

November rains douse the fires

Likely Resolves by Dec 15, 2026

Discussed by: BMKG forecasts rainy season onset in November

Indonesia's weather agency expects the rainy season to begin in November. If rains arrive on schedule, fires will subside and respiratory case counts will stop climbing. The El Nino pattern could delay rains, but November onset is the current forecast.

2

El Nino delays rains, fires burn into 2027

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: BMKG expects El Nino to persist until Q1 2027

If the El Nino pattern holds, dry conditions continue past November. Peatland fires can burn underground for months, resurfacing when conditions allow. Case counts would keep climbing and air quality alerts would extend into 2027.

3

Government escalates enforcement against slash-and-burn

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Indonesian authorities have deployed 54,000 officials and water-bombing jets

Indonesia could shift from firefighting to enforcement, prosecuting plantation companies that use slash-and-burn clearing. The government has already mobilized health workers and oxygen supplies, and could face pressure to act on the root cause of the fires.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

August-October 2019

2019 Indonesia wildfires

One of Indonesia's worst wildfire seasons, with fires burning across Borneo and Sumatra. The 2026 season has 30% more hotspots than 2019, according to Nusantara Atlas data.

Then

Haze blanketed the region for weeks; Indonesia deployed tens of thousands of personnel to fight the fires.

Now

Prompted renewed calls for peatland restoration and better fire management, though enforcement remained weak.

Why this matters now

The 2026 season is already worse than 2019 in both hotspot counts and burned area, making it the most intense fire season in 11 years.

September-October 2015

2015 Southeast Asian haze crisis

The worst haze crisis on record, caused by El Nino-driven drought and slash-and-burn clearing on Indonesian peatland. Fires burned for weeks, affecting tens of millions of people across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Then

Air quality reached hazardous levels across the region; schools closed and airports shut down in multiple countries.

Now

Led to ASEAN cooperation agreements and Indonesian peatland restoration efforts, though enforcement remained inconsistent.

Why this matters now

Shows how El Nino-driven drought and slash-and-burn practices produce recurring haze crises that cross national borders.

August-November 1997

1997 Southeast Asian haze

The first major Southeast Asian haze crisis, caused by a strong El Nino and widespread slash-and-burn clearing. Fires burned millions of hectares across Indonesia, sending smoke across the region for months.

Then

Haze affected millions across the region; the economic cost was estimated in the billions of dollars.

Now

Led to the 2002 ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, though Indonesia did not ratify it until 2014.

Why this matters now

Demonstrates that the current crisis is part of a three-decade pattern of El Nino-driven fire seasons in Indonesia.

Sources

(15)
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BBC News Borneo Post Online Reuters The Guardian Okezone News AirQualityNews The Star Thai Rath MyJoyOnline EnviroNews Asia Berita Borneo Anadolu Agency via US Muslims The Straits Times Phys.org BBC News