Carbon dioxide emissions from Indonesian wildfires between Sept. 1 and Sept. 7 reached 19.7 million metric tons—more than a third of the global total that week and ahead of Russia—according to Fire Emissions Watch data from the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitoring service reported by Reuters (opens in new tab) on Sept. 9.
Fire emission intensity exceeded 1,500 kg per square kilometer in that period, more than 10 times Russia’s level, with the highest concentrations in Kalimantan and eastern Sumatra, Copernicus data showed. Emissions were 273% above the seasonal average but still below the 21.7 million tons recorded in the same week of 2015, Reuters (opens in new tab) said.
Indonesian authorities described the season as the most intense in 11 years, Reuters (opens in new tab) reported. Copernicus scientist Mark Parrington said El Niño makes conditions hotter and drier so that, once ignited, fires burn more extremely. He also cautioned peat fires burning underground can fall below satellite detection limits, potentially understating the problem.
Separately, the BBC reported that independent monitor Nusantara Atlas had detected about 734,000 hotspots nationwide as of mid-September—more than 30% higher than in 2019, one of Indonesia’s worst prior seasons—and that since January at least 895,657 hectares had burned. Reuters (opens in new tab) cited Indonesia’s Sipongi platform showing 13,443 hotspots from Aug. 1 to Sept. 8, above 9,454 in the same period of 2015.
Environmental group YKAN’s Nisa Novita told Reuters (opens in new tab) January–July burned area was about 202,000 hectares, with August estimates of around 600,000 hectares of additional burning, especially in Kalimantan, Sumatra, and South Papua. Parrington said early indications put 2026 at pace with, or slightly above, prior strong El Niño fire years, with the season potentially extending through October.