Massive fires that have been burning for weeks in Indonesia have turned air pollution into an acute health and environmental crisis. The hardest-hit areas are Sumatra and Kalimantan, where millions of people are living under a thick toxic haze that has reduced visibility and made daily life more difficult.
Active fire hotspots in two of the worst-affected areas
The situation is especially severe in Sumatra and in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. In these regions, the fires have spread across large areas, while polluted air has exposed millions of residents to a direct health risk.
Images from the ground in Kalimantan show large flames in forested areas, while authorities have also deployed helicopters to drop water on active fire hotspots. Even so, the fires do not appear to be under control.
Health problems are increasing
According to reports from the ground, thousands of people have sought medical treatment for breathing problems and respiratory tract infections. This shows that the consequences are no longer limited to the environmental level, but are directly affecting public health.
Children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing respiratory illnesses remain the most at risk, in a situation that has dragged on for weeks without a clear solution.
The haze has also covered cities
In addition to forested areas, the haze caused by the fires has also covered cities and populated areas. Visibility has been significantly reduced, while the impact on residents’ daily lives has become increasingly evident.
The crisis is no longer seen only as a local fire emergency, but as a massive air pollution event affecting normal activity in several regions of the country.
Pollution crosses Indonesia’s borders
The effects have not been limited to Indonesian territory alone. The haze and air pollution have also spread to other countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and the Philippines.
As emergency teams continue efforts to extinguish the flames, the regional spread of the pollution shows that the scale of the crisis has gone beyond the borders of an internal problem.
For weeks, the fires have continued without being fully brought under control, while millions of people remain exposed to polluted air.
On the ground, the picture remains alarming: active flames, dense haze, and a health burden that is worsening by the day.