In brief
The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported 5,310 air‑pollution deaths in September, up 42% from August. Smoke from forest and land fires contributed 3,560 deaths while urban emissions added 1,750. Exposure and respiratory infection data further highlight the crisis, with 57.8 million people exposed and over 333,000 infection cases linked to fires. The think tank calls for stronger fire prevention, peatland restoration and enforcement against illegal land clearing.
A recent report released by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Helsinki‑based think tank, claims that air‑pollution deaths in Indonesia surged 42 % in September, rising from an estimated 3,740 in August to 5,310. According to the Xinhua article published on Oct. 30, the increase is largely attributed to widespread forest and land fires occurring across the country, amid an El Niño‑driven drought that intensified the wildfire season.
In September, the report estimates that 3,560 deaths were caused by smoke emitted from forest and land fires, roughly double the death toll attributed to such fires in August. Chronic, non‑fire pollution from urban and industrial sources added another 1,750 deaths, bringing the total to 5,310. The think tank notes that the smoke from these fires accounted for 94 % to 99 % of deaths in four provinces of Kalimantan, and more than 80 % in several provinces of Sumatra, while deaths in Java remained predominantly linked to urban and industrial sources.
According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA):
"highlighting a disproportionate health burden compared to urban centers in Java," the CREA said.
The health impact extended beyond mortality. The report estimates that 57.8 million Indonesians were exposed to air classified as "unhealthy" or "hazardous" nationwide in September. In addition, Indonesia’s Ministry of Health recorded 333,470 cases of acute respiratory infections linked to forest and land fires as of Oct. 21, underscoring the broader respiratory burden associated with the July‑through‑September fire season.
CREA attributes the surge largely to an El Niño‑driven drought that worsened wildfires, and calls for stronger fire prevention measures, peatland restoration and tighter enforcement against illegal land clearing. The think tank stresses that without coordinated action, similar or greater increases in air‑pollution deaths could recur in future fire seasons.
As Indonesia grapples with the twin challenges of wildfire management and air quality, international observers note that the country’s population is the third largest in the world. The findings from CREA highlight the disproportionate vulnerability of communities in Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java, and suggest that mitigating airborne particulates will require sustained policy interventions and public health safeguards.
