19.10.2026 17:32
Forest and peat fires that have been ongoing for months in Indonesia have turned into a terrible environmental disaster. According to satellite data, more than 1.9 million hectares were reduced to ashes between January and September, while it was revealed that the burned area is about 12 times the size of London. Toxic smoke reached neighboring countries, and more than 170,000 cases of respiratory disease were recorded. 100 animals, including 53 orangutans, were rescued from the fires.
Fires that have been raging in Indonesia for months and could not be extinguished have destroyed the country's vast forest areas. The toll revealed by satellite images showed that the disaster could be much larger than official statements.
AN AREA 12 TIMES THE SIZE OF LONDON TURNED TO ASHES
Nusantara Atlas, which examined satellite images, announced that 1,916,588 hectares of land burned from January to the end of September. This size corresponds to approximately 12 times the size of London. The area affected by the fires increased by 38 percent compared with the same period in 2019. The Indonesian government, however, announced at the end of July that 202,000 hectares had been damaged and did not issue an updated official toll afterward. David Gaveau, founder of Nusantara Atlas, stated that the actual loss could be higher than the announced figure. Burned areas smaller than 6.25 hectares were not taken into account in satellite calculations.
HUMAN FACTOR EMERGED AS THE CAUSE BEHIND THE DISASTER
Severe drought and the El Nino weather phenomenon played a role in the growth of the fires. However, according to experts, the main causes of the disaster include the burning of vegetation to clear agricultural land and forest destruction that has continued for years. Drained peatlands in particular make the fires difficult to control. Organic layers beneath the soil can continue to burn for days. In the first eight months of the year, more than 212,000 hot spots were identified in peat areas. The fires were concentrated especially in the Kalimantan and Sumatra regions.
TOXIC SMOKE CROSSED BORDERS
Dense smoke rising from the fires reached as far as Malaysia and Singapore. Some schools in Malaysia's Sarawak state were temporarily closed. According to Indonesian Ministry of Health data, the number of cases linked to respiratory diseases exceeded 170,000. A total of 100 animals, including 53 orangutans, were rescued from the fire areas.
MORE THAN 54,000 PERSONNEL WERE DEPLOYED
Indonesian Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni announced that firefighting efforts had been intensified. In Kalimantan, 26 aerial water-dropping operations were carried out. According to government data, 64 aircraft and 54,394 personnel fought the fires during the August-September period. Malaysia offered to send three helicopters and 52 personnel to Indonesia. Singapore, meanwhile, decided to send precautionary notices to three more companies in connection with the fires. The Indonesian administration revoked the permits of five companies alleged to have contributed to the fires, while suspending the operations of dozens of companies.
ECONOMIC LOSS COULD REACH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
The fires are expected to deal a heavy blow not only to nature but also to the country's economy. The Center for Economic and Legal Studies calculated that the economic cost could reach 1.7 billion dollars. In the major fires in the country in 2015, more than 2 million hectares were damaged, and the economic loss reached 16.1 billion dollars.