In brief
A Helsinki‑based think tank reported that air‑pollution deaths in Indonesia rose to 5,310 in September, a 42% increase from August. 3,560 of those deaths were attributed to smoke from forest and land fires, while 1,750 stemmed from chronic industrial and urban pollution. The surge, driven by El Niño‑induced drought, has prompted calls for stronger fire prevention and peatland restoration.
Indonesia’s death toll from air pollution tacked upward to 5,310 in September, a 42 percent jump from August, according to a report released Thursday by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The surge was largely driven by widespread forest and land fires, CREA said.
The think tank estimated that 3,560 of the September deaths were caused by toxic smoke from forest fires, while 1,750 were attributed to chronic, non‑fire emissions from urban and industrial sources.
CREA noted that in four provinces of Kalimantan, toxic fire smoke accounted for 94 percent to 99 percent of all air‑pollution deaths, and in several provinces of Sumatra more than 80 percent. In Java, the deaths remained largely tied to urban and industrial sources, the study said.
Beyond fatalities, an estimated 57.8 million Indonesians were exposed to “unhealthy” or “hazardous” air in September, CREA added.
Ministry of Health data posted on Oct. 21 reported 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infections linked to forest and land fires across affected regions.
CREA attributes the sharp rise to El Niño‑driven drought that amplified fires, calling for stronger fire prevention, peatland restoration, and enforcement against illegal land clearing.
