A decade after Indonesia’s worst fires, the haze is back. Why does the problem still persist?
Indonesia is facing a recurring haze crisis in 2026, though the scale of wildfires is significantly lower than the 2015 disaster. While decade-long reforms have improved detection and enforcement, gaps in funding and land management continue to allow illegal burning to persist.
Why it matters
The persistence of the haze highlights the difficulty of balancing economic development with environmental regulation in Southeast Asia, impacting regional air quality and public health.
Indonesia’s fires so far in 2026 are far smaller than in 2015, showing that a decade of reforms has made a difference. But burning remains cheap, troubled concessions are burning again and cracks are emerging in prevention – leaving the haze threat far from over.
Listen Summarise The ongoing fires are serious, but they are nowhere near the scale of Indonesia’s worst haze disaster in 2015. Punishment has deterred some farmers, but sanctions on companies remain relatively rare. Prevention efforts face gaps in funding, coordination, equipment and land management. AI generated
JAKARTA – A helicopter hovered over a reservoir in South Kalimantan, dipping a bucket suspended from a long cable into the water before heading back towards the fires.
On the ground, two men dragged a hose through dry woodland, spraying water at flames moving through the undergrowth. One wore a motorcycle helmet.
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