8 publishers · first seen Fri, 30 Oct 2026 04:29 UTC · updated Sat, 31 Oct 2026 03:45 UTC
The latest CREA study estimates that smoke from Indonesia's wildfires caused 3,560 deaths in September 2026, with about 57.8 million people breathing unhealthy to hazardous air. The report also notes that non‑fire sources such as industry and transport added another 1,750 deaths, bringing the total to 5,310 for the month.
The fires have burned more than 1.9 million hectares since August, driven by drought linked to an El Niño event and slash‑and‑burn clearing. The government has responded by deploying more than 72,000 personnel for cloud‑seeding and firefighting, activating over 2,100 doctors and health workers, and distributing 5.3 million masks across the affected regions, including Kalimantan, Sumatra and Java.
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