In Indonesian Borneo, fires have ravaged tens of thousands of acres, including ancient rainforest, triggering a trans-boundary haze that now threatens Malaysia and Singapore. Suwadi, a resident of Kalimantan, can barely see five metres in front of him when he steps outside, and each breath feels "like smoking a cigarette."
Health Impact and School Disruptions
In West Kalimantan, emergency room visits have spiked, with about 5,000 people arriving with respiratory symptoms each week since July, compared with 500 per week in the first half of the year, according to health ministry data. Children continue to go to school and adults to work, but many are suffering from the effects of breathing in thick smoke constantly. "What about babies, the elderly, and pregnant women who are exposed to this?" asks Suwadi. Some classes have been suspended, with parents urging schools to switch to online learning.
Cause and Regional Spread
Fires each year in Kalimantan are often blamed on "slash and burn" techniques used to clear land for plantations that produce palm oil, of which Indonesia is the world's largest producer. Authorities say this year's "super" El Niño may be intensifying the blazes, with the weather phenomenon expected to peak in September. Experts have warned the worst could be yet to come as the dry season continues into October, with rains unlikely before November.
The haze is fast becoming a regional issue, with Malaysia and Brunei agreeing to raise it at Asean as thick smoke from forest and peatland fires drifts across the border. On Tuesday, the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, was the most polluted city on earth, followed by Jakarta, according to air quality monitoring company IQAir. Almost 600 schools in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on Borneo island closed due to hot and dry conditions, and Singapore went on alert.
Government Response and Arrests
Forestry ministry data shows that nearly 94,000 hectares (232,000 acres) have burned nationwide this July alone. On Monday, the Indonesian president, Prabowo Subianto, ordered authorities to revoke the business permits of corporations suspected of directing the land clearing, state news agency Antara reported. Indonesian police arrested 72 people suspected of starting fires in Borneo and Sumatra, with most accused of deliberately burning land to clear areas for plantations.
The response comes as regional experts fear this could be another devastating fire year, with many of Indonesia's most severe blazes occurring during El Niño cycles. In 2015, another El Niño year, more than 6m acres were burned, with trans-boundary haze again plaguing neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore. During a recent visit to the region, Prabowo promised government resources to contain the fires, including helicopters and water pumps.
Peatland Degradation and Future Concerns
Indonesia's unique rainforests are home to peatland ecosystems, which should be naturally resilient to fire when water tables remain high. However, drainage networks built to clear land for pulp and oil palm plantations have robbed the soil of its natural capacity to retain water, experts say. Fires on degraded peatlands are more difficult to control because they burn deep underground, says Justin Sentian, a professor in climate change at Universiti Malaysia Sabahand, and they produce thick, acrid smoke.
"If authorities only act after hotspots appear, they will forever be playing catch-up," says Sentian. "True prevention must address the soil itself by halting the conversion of peatlands and actively restoring degraded areas." On Monday another fire broke out near the factory where Suwadi works in Kalimantan. With houses burning and smoke everywhere, Suwadi says he is afraid for the future of the region. "The fire is getting dangerously close to homes," he says, "People are [in] panic now."
