The 2026 Indonesian wildfires and the haze over Southeast Asia

Active · last development Sep 28: “The wildfires choking Indonesia, sparking regional haze”

What this arc covers

The wildfires in Indonesia in 2026, fueled by El Niño, and the haze they spread over Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, sickening some 100,000 people and leading Malaysia to declare an emergency in Sarawak.

Photo from Phys, with The wildfires choking Indonesia, sparking regional haze (Sep 28), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Jul 18, 2026 · 9 stories · 22 independent sources (counted once each) · 72 days

Part ofIndonesiaMalaysiaSingaporeSoutheast Asia

Part of Wildfires

  1. The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and the Palisades Fire arson caseJan 7, 2025 – Aug 14, 2026
  2. The 2026 European wildfires, from Spain and France to GreeceJul 2 – Aug 15, 2026
  3. The 2026 Indonesian wildfires and the haze over Southeast AsiaThis arcJul 18 – Sep 28, 2026
  4. The Spokane wildfires and the man charged with setting themAug 2 – Sep 28, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 28– 29The wildfires choking Indonesia, sparking regional haze4 articles · 3 independent sources
1 left, 1 center, 0 right
Sep 23– 26Indonesia fires threaten critically endangered orangutan: IUCN3 articles · 3 independent sources
1 left, 2 center, 0 right
Sep 9– 11El Niño fuels wildfires in Indonesia, sickening some 100,000 people11 articles · 11 independent sources
1 left, 2 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Aug 9 – 11Indonesia battles growing wildfires as Mount Bromo blaze spreads22 articles · 12 independent sources
    1. Aug 9Wildfire in Indonesian national park grows
    2. Aug 11Wildfire at Indonesia’s Mount Bromo mostly contained as smoke forces school closures
  2. Aug 21 – 26Fire haze threatens health of millions in Indonesia, ministry warns11 articles · 8 independent sources
    1. Aug 21Only lean-right coverage:Indonesia issues stark warning as haze from wildfires spreads to Malaysia
    2. Aug 24Only center coverage:Indonesia intensifies aerial firefighting as wildfire haze spreads to Malaysia
    3. Aug 25Only lean-left coverage:Indonesia battles haze as wildfires rage across South Sumatra forests
  3. Aug 25 – 27Indonesians brave choking smoke to pray for rain as country battles wildfires6 articles · 5 independent sources
  4. Sep 4 – 6Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak as haze from Indonesia worsens7 articles · 5 independent sources
  5. Sep 9 – 11El Niño fuels wildfires in Indonesia, sickening some 100,000 people11 articles · 11 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Jul 13Jul 27Aug 10Aug 31Sep 14Sep 28

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Jul 13, 20260106
Aug 3, 202602011
Aug 10, 20261109
Aug 17, 20260011
Aug 24, 202634013
Aug 31, 20262208
Sep 7, 202614013
Sep 21, 20261203
Sep 28, 20261104

27% left · 68% center · 5% right of 22 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 9 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. July 2026

    Jul 18Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia to face 'severe' haze in coming months6 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right

  2. August 2026

    Aug 9– 11Indonesia battles growing wildfires as Mount Bromo blaze spreads22 articles · 12 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right
  3. Aug 21– 26Fire haze threatens health of millions in Indonesia, ministry warns11 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 1 right
  4. Aug 25– 27Indonesians brave choking smoke to pray for rain as country battles wildfires6 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 0 right

  5. September 2026

    Sep 4– 6Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak as haze from Indonesia worsens7 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  6. Sep 4– 8Praying for rain as fires, haze plague Indonesian Borneo6 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right
  7. Sep 9– 11El Niño fuels wildfires in Indonesia, sickening some 100,000 people11 articles · 11 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  8. Sep 23– 26Indonesia fires threaten critically endangered orangutan: IUCN3 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  9. Sep 28– 29The wildfires choking Indonesia, sparking regional haze4 articles · 3 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right