Health & Environment
Indonesian Wildfires Scorch 1.9 Million Hectares Amid Severe Drought
The Hindu2h
THE BRIEF
1
Wildfires scorched more than 1.9 million hectares across Indonesia between January and September 2026, driven by land-clearing practices and dry weather.
2
The Indonesia Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency attributed reduced rainfall to strong El Niño intensity and the Indian Ocean Dipole.
3
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimated that air pollution-related deaths reached 5,310 in September, with 58 million people exposed to hazardous air.