Indonesia is experiencing a significant fire season characterized by dangerous peatland blazes that smolder beneath the surface rather than consuming vegetation above ground. These underground fires are particularly problematic because they are difficult to extinguish and produce substantially higher levels of air pollution than conventional forest fires, generating three times more fine particulate matter and five times more sulfur dioxide.
The nation contains approximately 36 percent of the world’s tropical peatlands, making it especially vulnerable to such fires during dry periods. Satellite observations from NASA’s Aqua satellite documented active fire detections across the region in early September 2026. Researchers have noted that the current fire activity is tracking upward at a pace comparable to 2015, when Indonesia experienced one of its most destructive fire seasons in recent decades.
Climate conditions are amplifying fire risk across the country. El Niño, which was assessed as strengthening in August 2026, typically reduces rainfall in Indonesia. This pattern is being reinforced by a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole, creating unusually severe drought conditions. By early August 2026, approximately 90 percent of Indonesia received little or no rainfall. These dry conditions allow flames to penetrate peat deposits in Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Papua, where fires can continue burning underground for months until rains resume in October or November.
Satellite monitoring systems have limitations in tracking these fires, as thick smoke and underground burning can obscure detection from space. Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry uses the SiPongi platform to monitor hotspots in near-real-time using satellite data. The 2026 fire season is being viewed as a critical test of fire management measures implemented following the devastating 2015 crisis, including wetland restoration projects and improved firefighting capabilities. Communities across Indonesia and neighboring regions are already experiencing hazardous air quality, with schools shifting to remote learning, national parks closing, and flight delays occurring.
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