Indonesian wildfires cause respiratory infections to double in a week, health ministry says
Indonesian wildfires have caused respiratory infections to more than double in a week, affecting over 113,000 people. The government is deploying medical supplies and personnel while international aid, including helicopters from Japan, has arrived to assist with firefighting efforts.
Why it matters
The surge in wildfire-related illnesses highlights the severe public health impact of climate-driven extreme weather events in Southeast Asia.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Respiratory infections caused by hazardous wildfire pollution in Indonesia have more than doubled in just over a week, data from the country’s Health Ministry showed on Thursday. Fires have been blazing across vast stretches of forest and peatland throughout the Indonesian archipelago, causing hazardous emissions to surge, particularly in the hardest-hit provinces on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. This year’s wildfire season is the most intense in 11 years as “super-El Niño” weather conditions drive up temperatures and cause punishing droughts. Fire emissions from the country now account for a third of the global total. The number of people suffering from wildfire-related respiratory illnesses rose to 113,336 as of Wednesday, up from 50,891 on Sept. 1, according to figures Health Ministry spokesperson Widyawati presented at a news conference.
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