started · updated
Indonesia wildfires burn 202,000 hectares, causing hazardous haze
Indonesia is facing a severe wildfire crisis across Sumatra and Kalimantan, with the Ministry of Forestry reporting 202,000 hectares burned between January and July 2026. The fires, driven by human activity such as land clearing for palm oil and exacerbated by a strong El Niño, have created hazardous air quality conditions. In some regions, the Air Pollution Index has reached dangerous levels.
Authorities have taken several emergency measures. In Siak and Pekanbaru, schools have implemented distance learning or adjusted schedules to protect students from thick smog. In Jambi, kindergarten and elementary students were ordered to study from home. To combat the fires, the government has deployed helicopters for water bombing and thousands of personnel for ground operations.
Law enforcement is active, with Polri naming 72 suspects across nine regional departments in connection with the fires. The environmental impact is significant, with haze spreading across borders to affect air quality in Malaysia and Singapore. Health officials warn that approximately 3.4 million people in seven provinces are at risk of respiratory infections.
Entities
Asep Karsidi · BMKG · Borneo · Indonesia · Malaysia · Ministry of Health · NOAA · Polri · Prabowo Subianto · Raffles B Panjaitan · Sumatra · University of Indonesia
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] PT MAP was named a corporate suspect on August 14 regarding land encroachment in Mempawah, West Kalimantan.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Minister of Environment intends to impose heavy sanctions, including potential fines of tens of trillions of rupiah, on environmental criminals. www.cnbcindonesia.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Ministry of Forestry is investigating parties who control land and benefit from forest fires, including illegal land sales and encroachment.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Investigators are examining financial transaction flows suspected to be related to financiers of the forest fires.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 900 hectares of the burned land in Riau remain to be extinguished. www.medcom.id
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Between January and August 2026, approximately 16,277.50 hectares of land burned in Riau. www.medcom.id
- [● 3 SOURCES] Polri has named 72 suspects in 89 police reports across nine regional police departments regarding forest and land fires. mediakampung.com · www.cnbcindonesia.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Ministry of Forestry recorded forest and land fire areas reaching 202,000 hectares from January to July 2026. dnaberita.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Investigators have named three suspects for clearing forest areas by burning for palm oil cultivation in Kampar, Riau. bangkaterkini.id
- [● 5 SOURCES] Haze from the wildfires has spread across borders, affecting air quality in Malaysia and Singapore. defimedia.info · news.az · www.tvsarawak.my
- [● 3 SOURCES] 3.4 million people in seven provinces across Borneo and Sumatra are at risk of respiratory infections. defimedia.info · news.az · www.tvsarawak.my
- [● 3 SOURCES] In Jambi, authorities have ordered kindergarten and elementary school students to study from home. defimedia.info · news.az · www.riaukepri.com