[REVISION HISTORY]

Indonesia wildfire and haze crisis intensifies

Updated 109 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-19 10:52 UTC → 2026-09-21 12:56 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The 2026 Indonesia wildfire season, intensified by a strong El Niño, has caused severe environmental and public health damage. By mid-September, nearly 300,000 hectares had been scorched, with carbon emissions on a trajectory to match extreme levels seen in 2015 or 1997–1998. As the crisis persists, the impact has spread to key regions. In Banyuwangi, the Kawah Ijen Natural Tourism Park remains closed, while officials monitor potential fire spread on the Merapi Ungup-Ungup mountain slopes. In late September, the ~~Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) region, smoke has resulted in an average Air Pollution Index (ISPU)~~ scale of ~~160. In West Papua,~~ the ~~provincial government~~ crisis has ~~raised its fire alert status to ‘alert’ (waspada)~~ expanded significantly, with at least 895,657 hectares burned since January. The SiPongi system recorded 1,532 national hotspots as ~~affected areas have surpassed 3,300 hectares. In Kalimantan, thick haze is disrupting community activities. Walhi~~ of September 20, with Central Kalimantan ~~Tengah reports that volunteers have reached 19 affected villages to provide aid~~ alone accounting for 1,035 high-confidence hotspots. The resulting toxic haze has crossed international borders, affecting air quality in Malaysia and ~~establish safe houses.~~ Singapore. In ~~South~~ Kalimantan, ~~experts warn that smoke and vegetation loss threaten the habitat of~~ hazardous air quality has disrupted transportation, including flight cancellations, prompting civil society groups to call for the ~~proboscis monkey (bekantan), potentially forcing wildlife migrations into human-populated areas.~~ situation to be declared a national disaster. President Prabowo Subianto ~~is escalating~~ continues to escalate legal ~~and administrative responses. He has proposed reclassifying~~ responses, proposing that forest ~~fire crimes~~ and land fires be reclassified as ‘ecological terrorism’ ~~and has threatened~~ to ~~revoke the operating permits of 95 corporations suspected of involvement, citing Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution. He has instructed~~ enable harsher sanctions. Law enforcement efforts have intensified; police have handled 219 cases and named 162 suspects. In South Sumatra, the ~~National~~ Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Police have detained several individuals for illegal land burning intended for rice cultivation, noting that violators face prison sentences of three to ~~investigate these allegations thoroughly.~~ ten years. To ~~bolster disaster management, Indonesia~~ combat the fires, the government has ~~accepted aid from Malaysia, including~~ deployed 64 aircraft and over 54,000 personnel. International assistance remains critical: Malaysia has provided a Bombardier CL-415MP aircraft, three helicopters, and 52 ~~personnel. This international cooperation follows discussions on long-term preventive measures~~ personnel, while Japan has previously deployed over 300 military personnel to ~~address~~ Borneo to assist in firefighting efforts. Local governments, such as in Bengkalis, are also providing heavy machinery to assist residents in land clearing without the ~~recurring transboundary haze impacting neighboring countries.~~ use of fire.

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