El Niño peaks, Indonesia braces for fires

El Niño’s peak in September is being framed as Indonesia’s real battleground for fighting forest and land fires, with authorities cautioning that the threat remains despite a decline in hotspots. Officials say the fires are largely human-caused, and the country has burned hundreds of thousands of hectares this year while health officials report tens of thousands of acute respiratory infections linked to the haze. To combat the blazes, the government has intensified weather modification, water bombing, ground firefighting, and enforcement, deploying dozens of air assets and coordinating with international partners. The haze has crossed borders into Malaysia and the Philippines, elevating air‑quality concerns in the region. Satellite data shows dozens of concession holders with high wildfire potential and ongoing crackdowns as authorities press for accountability. With September expected to bring drier, windier conditions, officials stress continued vigilance and sustained mitigation efforts across the six priority provinces.