NEW YORK — Indonesian peatland fires have intensified in recent months, choking the air over Jakarta and neighboring countries with toxic smog. The fires, driven by a combination of dry conditions, land‑use policy gaps and limited firefighting resources, have become harder to extinguish as climate change amplifies rainfall variability and peatlands dry out faster.
Peatland Fires and Their Spread
Satellite imagery released by the BBC shows dense plumes of smoke drifting from the provinces of Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan toward the capital and across the Strait of Malacca. The haze has pushed air‑quality indices in Jakarta above 300 on the WHO scale, the highest level that triggers health advisories. The smog has also reached Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and parts of Thailand, forcing schools to close, flights to cancel and hospitals to treat a surge of respiratory cases.
Drivers of the Fires
Peatlands cover about 12 million hectares in Indonesia and store roughly 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon. When these wetlands dry, they become tinder for slash‑and‑burn clearing used by palm‑oil plantations and smallholder farmers. The BBC video notes that the practice is legal under the 2018 Land Use Law but enforcement is weak, especially in remote areas where fire crews lack water and equipment.
Challenges for Firefighting
Indonesia’s firefighting capacity is constrained by geography and funding. The Ministry of Environment reports that only 15 % of the country’s peatlands are equipped with fire‑breaks or monitoring stations. In 2025 the government allocated ₹12 billion (US$160 million) for fire suppression, yet the budget is spread over multiple ministries and often delayed. Heavy rainfall, which can both help extinguish fires and create flash floods that block access, adds to the operational complexity.
International Response
The United Nations Environment Programme has urged Indonesia to increase investment in satellite‑based fire detection and to enforce stricter penalties for illegal burning. The World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds have earmarked US$200 million for peatland restoration projects, but the implementation timeline remains uncertain. In a statement, the World Health Organization warned that the haze could cause up to 10,000 excess deaths annually in the region if current trends continue.
Economic and Social Impact
Jakarta’s economy has felt the haze’s toll. The city’s tourism board reported a 12 % drop in visitor arrivals in the first quarter of 2026, while businesses cited productivity losses of 3.5 % due to employee absenteeism. The smog has also increased the cost of air filtration for public buildings, with the municipal government spending an estimated US$2 million on temporary filtration units in 2025.
Policy Gaps and Enforcement
While the Indonesian government has declared a state of emergency in several provinces, the enforcement of fire bans remains uneven. Local police units often lack the training to identify illegal burning, and the penalties for offenders are rarely applied. The BBC report highlights that the Ministry of Agriculture has not yet fully integrated fire‑risk assessments into land‑use planning, leaving large swaths of peatland vulnerable.
Climate Change Amplifies the Problem
Climate models predict that the Indonesian archipelago will experience drier conditions in the dry season, increasing the likelihood of peat fires. The fires themselves release large amounts of CO₂, contributing to global warming and creating a feedback loop that further dries peatlands. The BBC video shows that the haze can travel thousands of kilometers, affecting air quality in cities as far away as Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Looking Ahead
Experts say that a coordinated approach—combining stricter enforcement, investment in fire‑break infrastructure, and community education—will be essential to reduce the frequency and intensity of peat fires. The Indonesian government has pledged to double its firefighting budget by 2028, but the pace of implementation will determine whether the smog can be brought under control.
