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

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/whats-fueling-indonesias-worst-wildfire-season-in-a-decade/
- Published: 2026-10-30T08:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T00:54:02+00:00
- Original publisher: Grist
- Original article: https://grist.org/wildfires/indonesia-worst-wildfire-season-asia/
- Topics: Climate, Entertainment, Environment, Science, TV

## Key points

- Fires have burned more than 4.6 million acres since August.
- El Niño drought has dried out highly flammable peatlands.
- More than 300,000 Indonesians have sought respiratory treatment.

## Summary

Indonesia is facing its worst wildfire season in a decade, with fires since August burning more than 4.6 million acres and sending hazardous smoke across the country and into neighbouring states. The haze has caused a major public health emergency, while also damaging wildlife and forest habitats and releasing carbon.

A strong El Niño has brought severe drought, drying out Indonesia’s peatlands, which can burn underground for months when ignited. Farmers and agricultural companies commonly use fire to clear land, and many blazes appear to have started on unmanaged areas beside plantations; President Prabowo Subianto has vowed to investigate those responsible. More than 300,000 people have sought treatment for acute respiratory problems, and air pollution has at times exceeded the unhealthy threshold by more than 13 times.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.