Mongabay · Natuur

Indonesia's Wildfires Cause Widespread Haze Across Southeast Asia

Wildfires in Indonesia have intensified, with the resulting haze now affecting Singapore and the Philippines, in addition to Malaysia and Brunei. Air quality has deteriorated significantly in affected regions, leading to health warnings and emergency declarations.

On September 4, Singapore experienced smoggy skies, with air quality reaching unhealthy levels and ranking as the third-worst globally according to IQAir. Earlier in the week, Philippine authorities declared air quality in parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao as "acutely unhealthy" due to transboundary haze from Indonesia.

In Malaysia's Sarawak state, the capital Kuching has been the world's most polluted city for days, prompting an emergency declaration in the Serian district. Malaysia's health ministry reported a significant rise in asthma and respiratory infections in late August.

Brunei has also faced hazy conditions since mid-August. The wildfires are exacerbated by a "super" El Niño, causing extremely dry conditions. As of September 3, Indonesia's Firewatch platform detected over 444,200 fire hotspots, a substantial increase from July 27.

Indonesian officials attribute the fires to deliberate actions by individuals or corporations, with reports indicating that 50% of recurring wildfires occur in oil palm concessions. Environmental NGO WALHI noted similar findings, highlighting hotspots in oil palm and timber concessions, and specifically identified 33 hotspots in a Sumatran concession belonging to pulp company PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, which had a previous legal liability for a large fire.

WALHI spokesperson Dana Prima Tarigan stated that the continued detection of hotspots in peatland, plantations, and timber concessions reflects a government land-use model that increases ecological vulnerability and wildfire risk.

The immediate impact is borne by residents and wildlife. Indonesia's health ministry recorded over 50,000 acute respiratory infection cases in July and August. Two wildfire fighting volunteers died from breathing difficulties, and carcasses of wildlife, including a Borneo orangutan suspected to have died from smoke inhalation, have been found in burned areas.

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