Indonesia wildfires: haze chokes millions

The BBC visited the wildfire front in central Kalimantan, where a toxic haze is choking millions of residents. The haze has been linked to hundreds of thousands of respiratory illnesses in Indonesia, and has drifted to neighbouring countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Police have sent more reinforcement to handle the wildfires in the region.

The haze has affected millions of residents in central Kalimantan, with air pollution levels plunging to hazardous levels. Hundreds of thousands of respiratory illnesses have been reported in Indonesia.

Sampit is a large town located in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan Province of Indonesia. The 2026 Indonesia wildfires are a series of severe wildfires that occurred in Indonesia during 2026, with 107,465 hectares of land affected by fires from January through June 2026.

A small wildfire has been reported in Kayu Agung, South Sumatra, with an area of heat detections at most the size of 40 football pitches. The trend is quiet, with no new heat measured in the past day. The fire was last seen by satellite a day ago.

The 2026 Indonesia wildfires are a series of severe wildfires that occurred in Indonesia during 2026, with fires reported in other parts of Indonesia, including Java, Papua, and the Lesser Sunda Islands.