Indonesian fire haze drives heavy health and economic costs across Southeast Asia

Summary

Smoke from Indonesia's 2026 forest and peatland fires has caused large losses in neighbouring Malaysia. A report commissioned by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers, titled 'The 2026 Fire Season and Transboundary Haze in Malaysia', estimates welfare losses of 8 billion ringgit (US$1.97 billion), about 1,700 deaths, and severe disruption to manufacturing. Separately, a new study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Helsinki-based think tank, estimates that fire pollution killed 3,560 people in Indonesia in September, a month in which about 57.8 million people in Indonesia were breathing unhealthy to hazardous air.

Timeline

1. South China Morning Post

   29 Oct 2026, 10:48 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that smoke from this year's Indonesian forest and peatland fires has caused an estimated 8 billion ringgit (US$1.97 billion) in welfare losses in Malaysia and about 1,700 deaths, according to a report commissioned by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers.

2. South China Morning Post

   30 Oct 2026, 06:35 UTCSource ↗

   Reports that a new study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimates smoke from months of Indonesian wildfires caused 3,560 deaths in September 2026, when about 57.8 million people in Indonesia were inhaling unhealthy to hazardous air.

3. The Japan Times

   30 Oct 2026, 06:37 UTCSource ↗

   Reports, citing a new study, that fire pollution killed 3,560 people in Indonesia in September, when about 57.8 million people in Indonesia were inhaling unhealthy to hazardous air.