Indonesia Wildfires and Transboundary Haze
Why in News?
- On 21 October 2026, Down To Earth reported that wildfire smoke from Indonesia has spread to Singapore, Malaysia, Timor-Leste and the Philippines.
- Protests over what demonstrators called inadequate action and alleged corruption linked to the fires erupted in Jakarta on 20 October 2026.
- Nusantara Atlas, an independent monitoring platform, estimates that more than 1.9 million hectares had burned by the end of September.
- An exceptionally strong El Niño and drought since June have dried vegetation, and some fires may have started during land clearing, the report said.
Key Terminologies
- Transboundary Haze
- Smoke from forest or land fires that drifts across a national border and harms air quality and health in neighbouring countries.
- El Niño
- A warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean that usually reduces rainfall over Indonesia and nearby regions, making fires easier to start and spread.
- Hotspot
- A heat signature picked up by satellites that indicates a likely fire. Counting hotspots shows how active the fires are.
- Pollutant Standards Index
- Singapore's air quality scale. The National Environment Agency classes air as unhealthy when the index goes above 100.
Key Issues
- Scale of Burning: Nusantara Atlas estimates that more than 1.9 million hectares burned by September 2026, about 38 per cent more than in the same months of 2019, the previous worst year in its record. Haze may hide some fires from satellites, so the real figure could be higher.
- Swamp Fires: Swamp vegetation made up 35 per cent of the burned area, against 4.5 per cent for natural forest. Kalimantan was the worst hit, with 684,000 hectares, or 36 per cent of the national total.
- Climate Trigger: Low rainfall since June and an exceptionally strong El Niño dried the land. The report said some fires may have begun on plantations and farmland during clearing, so natural and human causes overlap.
- Health and Schooling: Smoke closed schools in Malaysia and Timor-Leste, and Singapore recorded its longest run of unhealthy air quality since 2015, according to Down To Earth. Five firefighters died in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
- Data Dispute: Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesperson said Nusantara Atlas figures "cannot be readily confirmed" while the government finishes its own count. Reliable data is therefore contested, which affects accountability.
Key Implications
Positive/Pros/Merits
- Regional Cooperation: Malaysia offered three aircraft and 52 ground personnel, showing that neighbours can support firefighting under the ASEAN framework.
- Corporate Pressure: By 19 October 2026, Singapore's National Environment Agency had sent notices to 10 Indonesian companies urging action, which adds pressure on land managers.
- Strong Response Capacity: Indonesia has deployed 47 aircraft and 60,000 personnel, a large state mobilisation against the fires.
- Public Accountability: Protests in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Pekanbaru and Makassar show public demand for action, which can push policy.
Negative/Cons/Demerits
- Health Burden: Smoke across four countries harms breathing and closes schools, and Singapore's air stayed unhealthy for the longest stretch since 2015.
- Climate Cost: Burning swamp and forest releases stored carbon, which is an analytical point, and it undermines climate goals in the region.
- Biodiversity Loss: Natural forest loss in Ketapang regency and Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan harms species and habitat.
- Human Cost: Five firefighters died in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, showing the risk of fighting fires in extreme dry conditions.
Key Initiatives
- India, Aerial Firefighting: The Indian Air Force used helicopters to drop water on forest fires in Arunachal Pradesh in 2026, including more than 12,000 litres in the Lohit valley, and the Army joined in Anjaw district.
- Indonesia: Indonesia has deployed 47 aircraft and 60,000 personnel against the fires, according to Down To Earth on 21 October 2026.
- Malaysia: Malaysia offered three aircraft and 52 ground personnel, as stated by Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs.
- Singapore: Singapore's National Environment Agency had sent notices to 10 Indonesian companies by 19 October 2026, urging action on the fires.
- ASEAN: The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, signed in Kuala Lumpur on 10 June 2002, aims to prevent and monitor haze from land and forest fires and set up the ASEAN Co-ordinating Centre.
Indonesia says it is still calculating the total burned area and has mobilised aircraft and personnel. Neighbouring governments have offered help and Singapore has issued notices to companies. The report does not mention any action under the ASEAN Agreement in the current crisis, so the regional mechanism's role is not confirmed.
Director's Perspective
Way Forward
- Share open satellite fire and burned-area data across ASEAN governments and independent platforms, so that disputes over figures do not delay response.
- Use the ASEAN Agreement's emergency request route earlier, so that regional aircraft and teams reach fires before they spread.
- Link land-clearing permits to fire-free certification and public audits of plantation companies, which targets the human cause.
- For India, extend early warning and aerial support to forest fire seasons in the north-east, using the 2026 Arunachal experience.
The haze shows that fire is a regional problem that cannot be left to national response alone. A large Indonesian deployment and neighbours' offers are strengths, while contested data and weak prevention are weak points. In a Mains answer, credit regional cooperation under the ASEAN Agreement, then conclude that prevention through land-use control and open data will matter more than firefighting after the fact.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is causing the Indonesian wildfires and haze in October 2026?
Low rainfall since June, an exceptionally strong El Niño and land-clearing fires on plantations and farmland have driven the fires, Down To Earth reported on 21 October 2026. Nusantara Atlas estimates that more than 1.9 million hectares had burned by the end of September.
What is the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution?
It is a treaty signed in Kuala Lumpur on 10 June 2002 to prevent and monitor haze from land and forest fires through national effort and regional cooperation. It also set up the ASEAN Co-ordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control to coordinate responses.
Which countries have been affected by Indonesian haze in 2026?
Smoke from Indonesia has reached Singapore, Malaysia, Timor-Leste and the Philippines. Schools were closed in Malaysia and Timor-Leste, and Singapore recorded its longest consecutive period of unhealthy air quality since 2015, according to Down To Earth.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution aims to prevent and monitor haze arising from land and forest fires.
The objective is stated in Article 2 of the Agreement, signed on 10 June 2002.
2 El Niño usually increases rainfall over Indonesia and reduces the risk of forest fires.
It generally suppresses rainfall over Indonesia and the surrounding region.
3 Singapore classes air as unhealthy when the Pollutant Standards Index exceeds 100.
The National Environment Agency uses this threshold.