Wildfires could last till early-Nov. 2026, warns Indonesia forestry minister

With his country battling its most intense wildfires in over a decade, Indonesia's forestry ​minister Raja Juli Antoni warned that the blazes could continue until early November 2026.

According to Reuters, this is due to the likely late arrival of the rainy season.

Efforts to contain seasonal fire outbreaks have been complicated by El Niño-linked dry weather.

Borneo and Sumatra, in particular, have felt the brunt of the conditions with fires raging on both islands over the past weeks.

Raja Juli also urged "individuals, farmers, and corporations alike to refrain from using fire during this very strong El Niño period".

Transboundary haze

Fires in Indonesia are behind the transboundary haze experienced in Singapore and Malaysia.

On Sep. 16, the National Environment Agency updated its haze outlook, writing that many air quality stations in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, West Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan are reporting unhealthy to hazardous levels.

At the time of writing, Singapore's 24-hour air quality forecast was stated as "moderate" to "low unhealthy".

Malaysia's deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who will be in Jakarta from Sep. 17 to 20, said he would officially raise the transboundary haze issue.

"Diplomatic measures must be pursued alongside technical efforts involving officials from neighbouring countries and Malaysian states," he said, according to Reuters.