Indonesia’s 2026 fires blackened nearly 3 million hectares and spread toxic haze
Indonesia’s fiercest fires in at least a decade have burned almost 3 million hectares during the 2026 peak season, with choking haze across much of Southeast Asia and about 400,000 respiratory infections blamed on the smoke, according to The Guardian.
By DoomRadar · Published on DoomRadar . Updated .
Places in the report
Countries named in the cited reporting. Highlighting does not show the area affected. Map: Natural Earth.
How the effects could reach youConditional effects
Based on two sources with available article excerpts. Source-linked claims are not independent confirmation.
Event date: The fires were assessed over the peak season from August to October 2026; local reports cited in the analysis put the burned area at 2.88 million hectares so far in 2026. [1][2]
What happened
An international World Weather Attribution team examined the different drivers of the fires in Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra during the peak season from August through October. [2]
References for this detail (1)
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealedaol.co.uk · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
The analysis linked the severe conditions to El Niño’s drying effect, additional warming from fossil-fuel emissions and forest conversion to plantations. Prof Friederike Otto described this combination as El Niño turning off the taps while emissions turned up the heat. [1][2]
References for this detail (2)
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealed | Indonesiatheguardian.com · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealedaol.co.uk · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
Latest local reports cited by the analysis put the area blackened in Indonesia at 2.88 million hectares in 2026. If confirmed, that would exceed the century’s previous record of 2.6 million hectares, set in 2015. [1][2]
References for this detail (2)
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealed | Indonesiatheguardian.com · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealedaol.co.uk · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
The fires cast choking haze across much of Southeast Asia. The Guardian reported that the smoke was blamed for 400,000 respiratory infections, while the available reporting does not establish the distribution of those cases. [1]
References for this detail (1)
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealed | Indonesiatheguardian.com · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
The scientists said El Niño conditions are highly predictable, even with the added influence of climate change, and argued that this creates an opportunity for preventive action before future peak fire seasons. [1][2]
References for this detail (2)
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealed | Indonesiatheguardian.com · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
- 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealedaol.co.uk · Article published: Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC
Context from the sources
The reported 2026 fires affected more than forests: the analysis said fires and unusually dry conditions worldwide contributed to a sharp rise in projected 2027 carbon dioxide emissions. [1][2]
What happened before, and what is different now
A documented earlier episode helps explain a possible mechanism. Its outcome does not predict this event.
The earlier episode
In 2015, 2.6 million hectares burned in Indonesia, producing 333 million tonnes of carbon emissions. [1][2]
What connects them
Both episodes were exceptionally large Indonesian fire seasons associated with extensive burning and major emissions. [1][2]
What is different
The 2026 reported burned area of 2.88 million hectares is larger than the 2015 total, although the 2026 figure was described as subject to confirmation.
What to watch here
The comparison shows why the reported scale matters, but the earlier outcome does not establish that the 2026 fires will produce the same emissions or health effects.
Explore the sources and reporting timeline
2 source links · 2 domains
These counts describe the references, not independent confirmations. Different outlets can repeat the same original report.
Source timeline
Oldest to newest among the available source dates, not a chronology of the incident. Article publication dates come from the source; other recorded dates may reflect when a link was found.
- [2] 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealedaol.co.ukReferenced for: detail 1, detail 2, detail 3, detail 5
- [1] 'El Niño turned off the taps': factors behind Indonesia's wildfires revealed | Indonesiatheguardian.comReferenced for: detail 2, detail 3, detail 4, detail 5
What this could mean for you
People in haze-affected parts of Southeast Asia may experience more respiratory illness and reduced ability to work or spend time outdoors.
Smoke from extensive Indonesian fires degrades air quality and has been linked in the reporting to respiratory infections.
Reported basis: [1] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Fires continue burning or smoke remains concentrated over populated areas.
Possible time frame: weeks, if those conditions hold.
Outdoor workers, schools and other activities exposed to heavy smoke may face interruptions or reduced safe operating time.
Choking regional haze limits exposure to polluted air, although the supplied reporting does not document specific closures.
Reported basis: [1] · The possible effect is interpretation.
Depends on: Air pollution reaches levels that prompt local restrictions or make outdoor activity unsafe.
Possible consequences, not a forecast. Their relevance depends on your location and the conditions above.
For your country
Choose a country to check how this event could affect you.
What changes the outlook
Risk increases if…
A continued dry peak-fire season would allow more land to burn and prolong the regional haze.
Formal confirmation of a burned area above the 2015 record would establish a larger fire footprint than previously recorded this century.
Pressure eases if…
Rainfall or the end of the dry season would reduce the conditions supporting active fires.
Earlier preventive action during a predictable El Niño season could limit future fire impacts, as the scientists argued.
Still unclear
Whether the 2.88 million-hectare estimate will be formally confirmed.
How long the haze will persist and which communities recorded the reported respiratory infections.
Market implications
Market impact
Sources (2)
References for the reported details. Separate links do not necessarily mean independent confirmation.
Available excerpt
Country’s fiercest blazes in at least a decade produced toxic smog blamed for 400,000 respiratory infections Indonesia’s fiercest fires in at least a decade were…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
Available excerpt
Indonesia’s fiercest fires in at least a decade were amplified by an “El Niño that turned off the taps” and “fossil fuels that turned up…A short excerpt from our source record; open the original for the full article.
First tracked by DoomRadar: . AI-assisted analysis · . Based on linked headlines and available excerpts. Methodology · Report an error.