Indonesia’s Forest Fires Surge as El Niño Raises Drought Risks

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Or sign-in if you have an account.(Bloomberg) — Indonesia is battling a surge in forest fires as a developing El Niño threatens to bring even drier weather and intensify risks at the peak of its dry season.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe Forestry Ministry’s fire-monitoring platform SiPongi has recorded 1,612 hotspots so far in this month, up sharply from 758 in all of July. It’s already the highest August number in three years, and outbreaks typically peak in September.However, it is still well below the August levels recorded during the severe fire seasons of 2015, 2019 and 2023.Hotter temperatures and extended droughts globally, often amplified by increasingly severe El Niño weather patterns, are making blazes more intense and harder to contain. Major fires have already burned this year across Canada and the US, as well as France, Spain, Greece and Australia.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againIn addition to the devastation wrought, severe fires in Indonesia threaten to blanket neighboring countries in thick clouds of smoke. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’s weather-monitoring center is warning of an increasing risk of trans-boundary haze as hotspot numbers spike. Indonesia is entering its most dangerous period for fires, with the dry season expected to peak between now and September. A prolonged drought and intense heat in the country is directly linked to the strong and developing El Niño, which is also threatening crop losses and water shortages, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s latest tropical climate update. The dry conditions are forecast to last into early 2027 across large swathes of Indonesia, the bureau said.The damage is already mounting. More than 107,000 hectares burned across the country from January through June, up 120% from the same period in 2019, according to Indonesian government data. About 54% of that was in designated forest area. The major palm-producing provinces of West Kalimantan and Riau, along with East Nusa Tenggara, recorded the largest burned areas, together accounting for about half the national total. A separate blaze around Mount Bromo in East Java forced the closure of the popular tourist destination.The government is stepping up efforts to contain the fires, focusing on six priority provinces in the peat-rich regions of Sumatra and Kalimantan, where blazes can burn underground for weeks and produce thick haze, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, known as BNPB.About 48,000 personnel have been deployed to fight blazes and cool burned areas to prevent flare-ups across Riau, South Sumatra, Central Kalimantan and Jambi, with five helicopters conducting water-bombing operations, BNPB said in a statement late Monday. Another 21 water-bombing helicopters, 12 patrol aircraft, and two cloud-seeding planes are on standby, and a further eight water-bombing helicopters are due to be added, BNPB said. “On peat land in particular, ground crews still need to sweep the area and extinguish remaining fires to ensure the fire is completely out,” Suharyanto, head of the agency, said in the statement.—With assistance from Mary Hui.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.