JAKARTA: Haze caused by fires that have raged for weeks in Indonesia’s Kalimantan and Sumatra has spread to neighbouring Malaysia, Brunei and as far as the Philippines, causing air quality to spike to hazardous levels in places like Serian in Malaysia’s Sarawak state. Tens of thousands of people have reported respiratory illnesses, schools were temporarily closed in parts of Sarawak, and 1.4 million students in six Indonesian provinces were shifted to online learning. Flights have also been disrupted in places like Pontianak in West Kalimantan.Indonesian authorities have responded by revoking the business permits of companies suspected of ordering the burning, and carried out joint cloud seeding operations with Malaysia, among other measures.But the region may not have seen the worst. September will be a crucial month, Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has cautioned, saying meaningful rainfall may not return until early October.“So this month is our battleground,” he said on Aug 31.CNA looks at how this year’s situation compares to previous years, what could lie ahead and what more needs to be done.
A boy reacts as smoke rises from wildfires at a residential area in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra province, Indonesia, Sep 2, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Abriansyah Liberto)
