Health · Medical Research · 3 hrs ago
Wildfire smoke linked to 3,560 deaths in Indonesia in September
Wildfire smoke caused an estimated 3,560 deaths in Indonesia in September, according to a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
The fires have persisted for months across the Southeast Asian country, where severe drought linked to an El Niño weather pattern has helped fuel them.
About 58 million people faced unhealthy to hazardous air, a record peak, according to the study.
Smoke from the fires also pushed up pollution in neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and East Timor.
Kalimantan and Sumatra were hit hardest, with fire smoke accounting for most air-pollution-related deaths there.
Indonesia says it has deployed more than 72,000 people for firefighting and cloud seeding, and sent health workers and masks to badly affected areas.
Wildfire smoke in Indonesia was linked to an estimated 3,560 deaths in September 2026, according to a study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
About 57.8 million people in the country were exposed to unhealthy-to-hazardous air that month, the study said.
CREA said smoke from forest and land fires accounted for 3,560 deaths, while chronic urban and industrial pollution caused another 1,750.
Kalimantan and Sumatra were the regions worst affected by fire-related pollution.
The fires were sparked by severe drought amid an El Niño weather pattern, and the smoke also raised pollution levels in neighbouring countries.
- Who
- An estimated 3,560 people in Indonesia.
- What
- Wildfire smoke was linked to their deaths in a CREA study.
- When
- September 2026.
- Where
- Indonesia, particularly Kalimantan and Sumatra.
- Why
- Smoke from forest and land fires caused severe air pollution; the fires were sparked by severe drought amid an El Niño pattern.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
CREA estimated 3,740 air pollution-related deaths in Indonesia.
Wildfire smoke was linked to an estimated 3,560 deaths, and about 57.8 million people were exposed to unhealthy-to-hazardous air.
CREA released its study, according to the articles.
- Fire-related deaths
- 3,560 estimated in September 2026
- Air pollution-related deaths
- 5,310 estimated in September
- People exposed to unhealthy-to-hazardous air
- About 57.8 million
- Kalimantan fire-smoke share of air pollution deaths
- 94–99 percent
- Firefighting and cloud-seeding personnel
- More than 72,000 deployed by the government
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What people are saying
Worsening air quality due to forest and land fires in Indonesia pushed the estimated death toll to 3,560 cases in September 2026, a twofold increase from the August estimate.