Borneo burning: Life on the frontline of South East Asia's toxic haze
When the sun hits the smog enveloping Indonesian Borneo, it turns everything the colour of rust. Cars, houses and streets appear and disappear out of a dim russet fog. There are few better words than "apocalyptic" to describe the way this looks.
TL;DR
- Wildfires in Indonesia have scorched approximately 1.9 million hectares since the start of the year, creating a toxic haze across Southeast Asia.
- Over 277,000 respiratory illnesses have been recorded in Indonesia, with over 62,000 affecting children under five.
- The haze poses serious health risks, including inflammation, chronic lung diseases, and increased risk of premature death, particularly for vulnerable groups.
- Residents are forced to stay indoors, disrupting daily life, education, and livelihoods, with many finding it impossible to avoid the outside air entirely.
- Efforts to extinguish the fires, including aerial waterbombing and a large-scale ground operation, are ongoing but face challenges such as peatland fires requiring significant water and time.
- Drought conditions exacerbated by a Super El Nino have made the fires more intense and difficult to control, with fires spreading to new areas.
- There is mounting public pressure on the government for a more adequate response, while many residents and firefighters are desperately hoping for rain to quell the blazes.