Sustained wildfires in Indonesia have caused a spike in respiratory illnesses and blanketed Southeast Asia in hazardous haze as of October 15. The fires, worsened by severe El Niño conditions, damaged nearly 900,000 hectares. Many schools got affected as pollution levels hit hazardous marks across Borneo, Sumatra, Singapore, and Malaysia.
JAKARTA, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Months of sustained wildfires in Indonesia have caused a spike in respiratory illnesses and blanketed several Southeast Asian countries in hazardous haze, with Singapore and Malaysia also hit badly over the last week.
The pollution has stoked political tensions across the region, with officials questioning Jakarta's handling of the fires as well as its reluctance to accept help from its neighbours.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF THE HAZE?
The haze is made up of fumes from forest and peatland fires across Indonesia, most notably on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, which are made up of dense forests and vast stretches of peatland that are especially prone to fire during the dry season, which usually runs from April to October.
The region is also currently under the influence of severe "super-El Niño" weather conditions, which brought additional heat and dryness and caused wildfires to spread more quickly.
The last time Indonesia experienced such intense fires was 2015, when El Niño conditions were similarly severe.
HOW MUCH DAMAGE HAVE THE FIRES DONE?
Official data on the extent of the land damaged by fire has not been updated since July, when 202,000 hectares (500,000 acres) had been burned.
But according to environment group Auriga, more than 637,000 hectares were damaged from January to August this year, nine times the area of Singapore.
Deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas put the figure even higher at nearly 900,000 hectares.
HOW BAD IS THE HAZE?
Emissions from Indonesia's fires have been the highest in the world for a month, making up almost half the global total over the last seven days, according to data from Fire Emissions Watch, opens new tab, a portal developed by the European Union's Copernicus climate monitoring service.
Indonesia's air pollution index has shown some areas of Borneo and Sumatra registering pollution levels of over 1,000, with readings of 300 or more already categorised as hazardous.
Singapore's 1-hour PM2.5 reading hit a high of 284 micrograms per cubic metre in the western part of the island state on Wednesday, entering the National Environmental Agency's "very high" band for the first time this year.
The number of cases of respiratory illness linked to the fires surged to 283,270 in seven Indonesian provinces alone as of October 13, Health Ministry data showed, more than double the 113,336 reported as of September 9.
Many schools in Indonesia, neighbouring East Timor and some states in Malaysia were forced to close, and nearly 2,000 flights in Indonesia have been affected between August 11 and October 12.
WHAT IS INDONESIA DOING TO TACKLE THE FIRES?
Jakarta says it is doing everything it can.
Over 60,000 personnel have been deployed to fight the fires, and around 50 aircraft have engaged in water bombing and cloud seeding operations.
Indonesia plans to employ more forest rangers to prevent fires, and has vowed to restore its peatland ecosystem, where fires can smoulder underground for much longer and at lower temperatures.
The government says it has cracked down on law-breaking enterprises and restricted the use of fire to clear farmland. Police officials have said 223 individuals and nine companies could face action for their involvement in starting forest fires.
WHY IS INDONESIA BEING CRITICISED?
Jakarta has come under increasing international pressure to do more to tackle fires, both before and after they start.
Its crackdown on the use of fire to clear land has not completely eliminated the practice. Rapid deforestation to make way for growing crops, most notably to increase palm oil production, has also raised the risk of fires by draining underground water sources and drying out the soil.
Jakarta's reluctance to declare the situation a national disaster, which would allow it to deploy resources more quickly, has also been questioned. It has also not yet accepted offers of help from both Malaysia and Singapore.
HOW LONG WILL THE FIRES AND HAZE LAST?
Indonesian authorities say that, despite their best efforts, the situation will only be contained when there is sustained rainfall in the region.
The dry season started earlier this year and has lasted longer than usual. Rain usually starts in October, but forecasts say it will be delayed until November.
The effects of El Niño are expected to last until the first quarter of 2027, but the upcoming rain season will help diminish the impact of the fires, Indonesia's weather agency said.