Indonesia is experiencing a surge in peatland fires, with smoke causing school closures and flight delays as the country faces a severe drought.
Key facts
- •Indonesia contains approximately 36 percent of the world’s tropical peatlands.
- •NASA's Aqua satellite captured images of fire detections across Borneo on September 1, 2026.
- •The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi platform recorded 946 hotspots on August 31, 2026.
- •During the 2015 fire season, Indonesia released 1.75 billion tons of greenhouse gas equivalents.
- •Nine national parks in Indonesia have been closed due to the fires and resulting smoke.
Large-scale peatland fires are burning across the island of Borneo in Indonesia, with NASA satellite imagery from September 1, 2026, showing significant thermal activity. The fires are occurring during a severe drought exacerbated by a strong El Niño and a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole. These conditions have led to widespread smoke, forcing the closure of nine national parks and disrupting daily life for many residents.
By the numbers
The Challenge of Peatland Fires
Peatland fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish because they smolder at low temperatures and burn underground through expansive soil deposits. These fires are highly polluting, generating significantly more fine particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and methane compared to standard tropical forest fires. While surface fires are a concern, underground fires can persist until the arrival of the rainy season, typically in October or November.
Impact of Climate and Land Use
The current fire season is tracking sharply upward, drawing comparisons to the extreme 2015 season. Researchers note that the flammability of the region has been increased by historical land-use changes, including the construction of irrigation canals and the drainage of peat swamps in the 1990s to create rice farms. While restoration efforts have been underway since 2015, the current drought—which affected 90 percent of the country in early August—is testing the efficacy of these measures.
Monitoring and Public Disruption
Indonesian authorities are using satellite data from sensors like MODIS and VIIRS to track hotspots, though heavy smoke and cloud cover can sometimes obscure fire detection. On the ground, the resulting haze has led to hazardous air quality, the transition of some schools to remote learning, and flight delays. Experts emphasize that sustained focus on fire prevention is necessary, even during years when fire activity is less severe.
Timeline
- August 31, 2026The SiPongi platform recorded 946 fire hotspots.
- September 1, 2026NASA's Aqua satellite captured imagery of fire detections on Borneo.
- September 2, 2026Indonesia's 2026 fires had released roughly 10 percent of the emissions recorded in 2015.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NASA Breaking News.
