Indonesia fires burn 1.9 million hectares in 2026

Satellite imagery analysis indicates that forest fires in Indonesia scorched more than 1.9 million hectares from January through the end of September 2026. The Nusantara Atlas observatory, which tracks deforestation, reported a burned area totaling 1,916,588 hectares during the first nine months of the year.

Nusantara Atlas estimates conservative figures

David Gaveau, founder of the Nusantara Atlas, stated that the published numbers represent conservative estimates. The observatory excludes fire hotspots smaller than 6.25 hectares each and applies criteria designed to minimize false detections.

Gaveau noted that dense haze obscured satellite images during certain periods, affecting the monitoring of burned zones. He suggested the actual extent of damage is likely greater than what the available data records.

No updated official government data

The Indonesian government has not released updated official statistics on the total land destroyed by flames. Its last public declaration, issued at the end of July, cited 202,000 hectares as burned.

Data from the observatory shows the area affected by fires up to late September 2026 exceeds the figure recorded for the same period in 2019 by 38 percent.

Comparison with 2015 crisis difficult

Similar comparative data for the widespread fires of 2015 is unavailable because the satellite imagery currently used by the observatory was not accessible during that time.

Gaveau estimated that this year’s fire volume could approach the destruction levels seen in 2015, citing a continuous rise in the number of fire hotspots. He clarified, however, that this assessment relies on his interpretation of available indicators rather than complete comparative datasets.