Wildfire smoke killed 3,560 in Indonesia in September, study finds

In September 2026, air pollution resulting from forest and land fires in Indonesia claimed an estimated 3,560 lives, according to a scientific study conducted by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The same month, approximately 57.8 million individuals were exposed to unhealthy to hazardous air quality. The study, published by CREA, found that the death toll in September was twice as high as the estimated figure for August.

The majority of these fatalities were recorded on Indonesia's Borneo island, as well as in Java and Sumatra, the country's other main islands, and its eastern regions. The research also examined non-fire pollution from urban and industrial emissions, which contributed to an additional 1,750 deaths in September, raising the total death count across the nation to 5,310.