Persistent peatland 'zombie fires' choke Indonesia, spreading toxic haze across Southeast Asia

In Indonesia’s Borneo, peatlands drained for timber, pulp, rice and palm oil are burning underground for weeks, creating a persistent red-brown haze that drifts over Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. These “zombie fires” are difficult to extinguish because the carbon-rich peat continues to smoulder beneath the surface. The smoke contains hazardous chemicals such as formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and ammonia, plus PM2.5 particles linked to serious health risks.

Health ministries report more than 170,000 Indonesian patients treated for acute respiratory infections and hundreds of schools shut, while neighboring nations see rising illness rates. The fires have released 140.5 megatonnes of carbon, about 13 % of the world’s fire-related emissions this year, underscoring Indonesia’s role in global greenhouse-gas output. Activists call for revoking peatland concessions, rewetting the land and blocking canals, but government data on restoration efforts remain contested, and a new National Peatland and Mangrove Management agency is still being defined.