{
  "id": 5439229,
  "title": "Unchecked businesses blamed for raging wildfires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/unchecked-businesses-blamed-for-raging-wildfires",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-03T23:20:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Jakarta Post",
    "slug": "the-jakarta-post",
    "url": "https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2026/09/04/unchecked-businesses-blamed-for-raging-wildfires.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Unchecked businesses are being held responsible for the devastating wildfires gripping Indonesia. According to an environmental analysis, business concessions, roughly the size of Jakarta, have experienced extensive burning since January. Most of these fires originated in areas designated for oil palm plantations, though mining and pulpwood concessions also contributed significantly. A recent study by the environmental group revealed that early this year, a quarter of Indonesia's forest and peatland areas were engulfed in flames, with some zones suffering repeated fires. This alarming trend highlights shortcomings in forestry law enforcement designed to curb wildfires.\n\nThe smoky aftermath has reached as far as the Philippines, prompting local authorities there to issue health advisories. Over the last seven months, at least 285,914 hectares of land have been scorched, with 68,324 hectares within industrial concessions alone, comparable to Jakarta's size. Around 15,146 hectares were burned in oil palm concessions, while mining and pulpwood plantations saw 12,120 and 10,485 hectares burned, respectively.\n\nAccording to David Gaveau, founder of Nusantara Atlas, the practice of deliberately burning land for agricultural and business purposes exacerbates the wildfire situation. This year's El Niño may have provided additional fuel, but the root cause lies in business practices. The report calls for stricter enforcement of forestry laws to prevent such disasters in the future.",
  "summary": "Lands within business concessions of a size roughly equivalent to the total area of Jakarta have been burned since January, with most fire coming from areas earmarked for oil palm plantations, according to a recent analysis from an environmental group.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}