Indonesia's fire smoke killed 3,560 people in September alone
Forest fires in Indonesia caused an estimated 3,560 deaths from smoke pollution in September, a twofold jump from August.
Wildfires raging across Indonesia caused an estimated 3,560 deaths through air pollution in September, according to a new study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The pollution, tiny PM2.5 particles that penetrate the lungs, affected about 57.8 million Indonesians inhaling unhealthy-to-hazardous air that month.
The death toll doubled from August, and over 330,000 acute respiratory infections were recorded across the country. Indonesia has burned more than 1.9 million hectares in nine months, worsened by drought and El Niño.
The fires have sent toxic haze across to Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and East Timor. Experts blame slash-and-burn land clearing by timber, palm oil and mining companies.
The report says the government must shift from fighting fires to restoring peatlands that have been drained and left fire-prone.
- 3,560
- Deaths in September
- 57.8 million
- Population affected
- 330,000+
- Respiratory infections
- 1.9 million hectares
- Land burned in 9 months
Why it mattersPollution from Indonesia's fires is a regional crisis affecting hundreds of millions; untreated, it will worsen each dry season.
AustraliaHaze from Indonesian fires can reach Australia, affecting air quality in northern regions; the scale of the crisis shows climate vulnerability shared across the Indo-Pacific.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 5 h ago
