Indonesia records 175,000 respiratory cases as wildfires blanket region in haze

September 23, 2026 at 09:20 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Indonesia's health ministry reported 175,000 respiratory illness cases since August as wildfires rage across Borneo and Sumatra. More than 40,000 cases involve toddlers, with conditions ranging from coughs to pneumonia. The toxic smog has also affected Malaysia and Singapore, pushing air quality into unhealthy levels.

Key Facts

Indonesia's health ministry reported 175,000 respiratory illness cases since August, with more than 40,000 involving toddlers.
The Nusantara Atlas monitoring platform detected 734,000 fire hotspots across Indonesia as of Wednesday, over 30% higher than in 2019.
At least 895,657 hectares of land have burned since January, nearly six times the size of Greater London.
Indonesia has deployed more than 54,000 officials and dozens of aircraft to Borneo and Sumatra for water bombing operations.
Indigenous and civil society groups in West Kalimantan filed a class action lawsuit against the central government and local administrations last week, alleging deliberate negligence.

Health Impact

The health ministry said 175,000 people have suffered from respiratory illness since August, with cases ranging from mild coughs to pneumonia. More than 40,000 of those cases involve toddlers, according to the ministry. The number of wildfire-related respiratory illnesses more than doubled to 113,336 by 9 September, up from 50,891 on 1 September. The toxic smog has led to school closures and a surge in hospital admissions across Indonesia.

Firefighting Response

Indonesia has deployed more than 54,000 officials and dozens of jets to Borneo and Sumatra for water bombing, authorities said. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said on Monday that all forces continue to move from air to ground to extinguish the fires and protect the public. The vast territory and challenging peatland conditions make it hard to put out the fires, according to authorities. The Nusantara Atlas monitoring platform detected 734,000 hotspots as of Wednesday, more than 30% higher than in 2019.

Wildlife and Legal Action

The toxic smog has taken a toll on wildlife, including critically endangered orangutans. Late last month, an orangutan was rescued from a palm oil plantation in West Kalimantan but later died after emergency treatment for hypoxia. Indigenous and civil society groups in West Kalimantan filed a class action suit last week against the central government and local administrations, accusing them of deliberate negligence. Lawyer Glorio Sanen said the recurring pattern of annual disasters proves the defendants knew about the potential haze disaster and its risks.