AI Insight
Indonesia is experiencing an early surge in underground peat fires during the 2026 fire season, exacerbated by El Niño conditions and severe drought affecting wetland areas. These peat fires burn beneath the surface and can smolder for months, releasing significantly higher levels of fine particulate matter and pollutants compared to conventional tropical forest fires. The thick smoke produced by these fires creates detection challenges for satellite monitoring systems.
Why it matters
Underground peat fires pose severe public health risks due to elevated emissions of harmful pollutants and fine particles that can affect air quality across regions. The difficulty in detecting and monitoring these fires hampers emergency response efforts and early intervention strategies needed to protect vulnerable populations and ecosystems.
Understand the Science
Indonesia’s dangerous peat fires are surging early in the 2026 fire season as a strengthening El Niño and severe drought dry out wetlands that can burn underground for months. These slow smoldering fires are especially destructive because they release far more fine particles and several pollutants than typical tropical forest fires, while thick smoke can make them difficult for satellites to detect.
Source: Indonesia’s most dangerous fires are burning underground