Massive forest fires in Indonesia - criticism of the government

The worst fires have been raging in Indonesia since 2015. The fires were mainly caused by illegal slash-and-burn agriculture. Neighbors Singapore and Malaysia criticize the Indonesian government

Neighboring countries feel the effects Massive forest fires in Indonesia - criticism of the government As of: October 24, 2026 • 12:26 p.m

The worst fires have been raging in Indonesia since 2015. The fires were mainly caused by illegal slash-and-burn agriculture. Neighbors Singapore and Malaysia sharply criticize the Indonesian government.

Thick orange-gray smoke drifts over Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. People are wearing respiratory masks and visibility is poor. Forests and peatlands have been burning here since July. Around two million hectares have already been burned in Indonesia - an area about the size of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Wasilah, 27, lost her husband Aries in the fires, who was fighting the flames as a volunteer. "It wasn't actually his job, but he wanted to help," the young woman told a reporter from the Reuters news agency.

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Since the fires broke out, they had seen each other less and less because he was constantly on duty. "Usually we did everything together, went everywhere together and ate together. I miss him so much."

Her daughter wipes away a tear. On her cell phone she shows videos of her husband Aries with his little daughter. According to the civil protection authority, three volunteers from the region have already died while extinguishing fires in the past few weeks.

In Indonesia's capital Jakarta and on the islands where the fires are raging the worst, more and more people are taking to the streets. They are protesting against the government's inaction, like Fajar Wasis: "We call on the government to immediately address and resolve this forest and wildfire crisis."

Law enforcement authorities and responsible bodies have not yet shown sufficient will or ability to take action against those who caused the fires, he says. “And the fires continue to be set on a large scale.”

A protester's banner reads: "People - on the verge of death." They demonstratively wrapped a motionless body in white sheets. The fine particles from the fires are dangerous for the lungs. Respiratory diseases have increased massively.

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The tiny particles, no more than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, can penetrate the bloodstream. And the levels have long been well above the World Health Organization guidelines. Schools and universities in the region have been teaching online, some of them for months.

"There have already been deaths and many people are suffering. The number of cases of acute respiratory infections has risen to several hundred thousand," said demonstrator Naomi Artika to the AFP news agency. "There have been numerous accidents with far-reaching chain reactions. For all these reasons, we strongly call for this disaster to be officially declared a national emergency."

Then other countries could also help, says Artika. However, Indonesia is foregoing the help offered by Singapore and Malaysia for the time being and declares that it can handle the situation itself.

The governments of Malaysia and Singapore have now used unusually harsh words towards their neighbors. Because the fires also lead to unhealthy air quality in their countries, hundreds of kilometers away.

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Singapore now wants to hold the companies responsible for the fires accountable. To do this, they evaluated satellite images, among other things. In focus: Singaporean and Indonesian companies, palm oil and paper producers.

"They may believe that it is difficult to obtain evidence and that it can escape public and regulatory scrutiny," Singapore's Home Minister Kannon Shanmugam said this week. "But they should not underestimate the determination of the Singapore government."

He added that Singapore will use every lever at its disposal to put pressure on companies where it really hits them: their bottom lines, their access to finance and their reputation with investors. "They shouldn't have the illusion that they can just wait for the smoke to clear and then go back to business as usual."

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Indonesia is the largest palm oil producer in the world. Fires are a simple and very cost-effective means of quickly and effectively clearing large areas on which palm oil can then be grown. Plantation owners also have an interest in ensuring that old, unproductive trees are burned and there is room for new ones. They therefore sometimes deliberately set fires or simply watch natural fires.

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Peat soils are also drained to make them usable for plantations. However, the dry peat soil burns easily and the fires can smolder underground for a long time. Extinguishing these peat fires is currently one of the biggest challenges for the emergency services. Due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, increased temperatures, drought and the associated water shortage are even worse than usual.

Slash-and-burn farming is illegal in Indonesia, but because violations are not consistently punished, it remains common practice. This practice cost the husband of 27-year-old Wasilah his life - as he tried to put out the fires that are currently depriving millions of people in Southeast Asia of breathing space.

"To everyone still out there fighting the fire: Please don't put yourself in danger. If the conditions are too difficult to help, then it's better to rest," she appeals. "Your children, your spouses, your parents and your families are waiting for you at home. There can be no more victims of this fire."