Topic: Environment
Tropical peatland fires in Indonesia are burning underground, producing high levels of pollution. The fires are difficult to extinguish and have been linked to El Niño events.
Tropical peatland fires are among the most dangerous and stubborn fires on Earth. Instead of racing through trees and vegetation, these fires smolder through dried wetland soils and large deposits of peat.
This makes them extremely difficult to extinguish and exceptionally polluting. By one estimate, peat fires produce three times more fine particulate matter than other tropical forest fires, along with five times more sulfur dioxide, three times more organic carbon, and twice as much methane and carbon monoxide.
Indonesia's 2026 fire season was already underway when the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the region on September 1, 2026. The image showed a large number of 'fire detections,' which are areas where the satellite sensor and algorithm identified thermal anomalies associated with fire.
Peat fires are a persistent problem in Indonesia, which contains about 36 percent of the world's tropical peatlands. During severe droughts, these normally wet landscapes can dry enough to ignite. Over the past three decades, such conditions have repeatedly produced long-lasting fires that blanket large areas in smoke for weeks and disrupt the lives of millions of people.
El Niño Is Intensifying the Dry Season Wildfires occur in Indonesia every year, but some of the most destructive seasons in recent decades came during El Niño, particularly in 1997 and 2015. NOAA assessed El Niño as present and strengthening in August 2026. The climate pattern commonly reduces rainfall across Indonesia.
The comparison with 2015 is significant. After more than three months of burning that year, Indonesia's fires had emitted 1.75 billion tons of greenhouse gas equivalents -- more than Japan emits in an entire year. By September 2, the 2026 fires had been burning for about a month and had already released roughly 10 percent of the amount produced during the 2015 crisis.
Underground Peat Fires Can Burn for Months Indonesia was also experiencing severe, widespread drought during the summer of 2026, much as it did in 2015. Data from the Indonesian meteorological agency showed that about 90 percent of the country received little or no rainfall in early August.
Indonesia relies on observations from NASA and NOAA satellites to follow active fires in near-real-time. MODIS and VIIRS are among the main instruments used. Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry operates the SiPongi fire-monitoring platform using MODIS and VIIRS data, and the system counted 946 hotspots on August 31, 2026.
The Worst Fires Can Be Hardest to See From Space Satellite monitoring has important limitations, however. MODIS and VIIRS can struggle to detect fires hidden by thick smoke or clouds, burning beneath the forest canopy, or smoldering underground.
Why It Matters
These fires are a major pollution threat not just for Indonesia but also for neighboring countries and the global community. The high levels of pollution from these fires can have serious health impacts on people living in affected areas.
Key Facts
- Tropical peatland fires produce three times more fine particulate matter than other tropical forest fires.
- Indonesia's 2026 fire season was already underway when the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the region on September 1, 2026.
- Peat fires are a persistent problem in Indonesia, which contains about 36 percent of the world's tropical peatlands.
- El Niño is intensifying the dry season and exacerbating burning in Indonesia.
- The comparison with 2015 is significant: after more than three months of burning that year, Indonesia's fires had emitted 1.75 billion tons of greenhouse gas equivalents.
Key Terms
- El Niño
- A climate pattern that affects rainfall and temperature in the Pacific Ocean region.
- Peat
- A type of soil made from partially decayed plant matter, often found in wetland areas.
- MODIS
- A satellite instrument used to detect thermal anomalies associated with fire.
Implications
These fires are a major pollution threat not just for Indonesia but also for neighboring countries and the global community. The high levels of pollution from these fires can have serious health impacts on people living in affected areas.
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