{
  "id": 19737857,
  "title": "Climate change made Indonesian fires more severe, say scientists",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/climate-change-made-indonesian-fires-more-severe-say-scientists",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-13T01:05:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/11/13/climate-change-made-indonesian-fires-more-severe-say-scientists"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Indonesian wildfires from August to October intensified due to record-breaking heat driven by human-induced climate change, according to scientists. A report by World Weather Attribution found that additional heat contributed around 1.6 degrees Celsius during the fire season, exacerbating a very strong El Niño that caused extreme rainfall shortages in Indonesia. Researchers noted that the extreme weather conditions for these fires would not have occurred without human-induced climate change. Additionally, decades of deforestation and peatland drainage for industry and agriculture have made Indonesia's landscapes more vulnerable to ignition, with September 2026 being the fifth-driest since 1991. The independent geo-monitoring platform Nusantara Atlas reported that almost 2.88 million hectares of Indonesian territory were affected by fire from January to October 2026, a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2019.",
  "summary": "A University of Melbourne wildfire researcher said September 2026 was Indonesia’s fifth-driest September since 1991, with below-normal rainfall across 84% of the country.",
  "key_points": [
    "Human-induced climate change intensified Indonesian wildfires by 1.6°C.",
    "Record-breaking heat and extreme rainfall shortages exacerbated fire season.",
    "Deforestation and peatland drainage made Indonesia's landscapes more vulnerable."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Climate change made Indonesian fires more severe, scientists say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/climate-change-made-indonesian-fires-more-severe-scientists-say",
        "published": "2026-11-13T00:32:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}