El Niño wildfire in Indonesia destroys nearly 300 homes, displaces hundreds

A forest fire on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, driven by El Niño weather patterns, has destroyed nearly 300 homes and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate. The blaze, located in the Bangka Belitung province, has displaced nearly 1,000 people, according to the local disaster agency.

Fire Spread and Evacuation

Residents first noticed the fire approaching their village on Saturday and attempted to extinguish it using portable water pumps. Riza Herdavid, the head of South Bangka regency, explained that the initial efforts failed because the fire was smouldering beneath the peatland surface.

"They thought it was taken care of. But it’s peatland, and there was still a fire smouldering underneath. So, when they assumed it was over, the wind shifted and quickly drove the fire toward the settlement," Riza said.

Leni, a 55-year-old resident staying at a shelter, described the sudden loss of her home. "My house is gone," Leni said. "There’s nothing left. I could only save myself and take my kids with me … I panicked and didn’t have the time to grab anything."

Another survivor, Haryanti, a 50-year-old homemaker, noted that strong winds fuelled the flames, which consumed homes constructed mostly of wood. "I immediately ran to save myself. None of my belongings survived… only the clothes on my back," Haryanti said.

Riza stated that the village had been built on land that was previously peatland within a protected area, converted into a housing complex last year.

Regional Impact and Government Response

The fires have generated severe haze across the region, resulting in tens of thousands of respiratory illness cases and increased air pollution in Singapore and Malaysia. The Indonesian government has described the current conditions as the worst in a decade.

President Prabowo Subianto ordered the government on Monday to mobilise maximum efforts to extinguish wildfires that have been active for three months in some areas. Cabinet secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya confirmed that the government has deployed more than 60,000 personnel to combat the fires on the ground.

According to the disaster agency, thick smoke in a province of Borneo has grounded water-bombing aircraft, hindering aerial suppression efforts. Authorities warn that the fires could continue until November, when El Niño is expected to peak.

Wildlife Devastation

The blazes have severely impacted wildlife, particularly in Borneo. The International Union for Conservation of Nature reported that fire has affected habitats containing 52% of Borneo’s orangutan population. Since August, the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency has rescued at least 46 critically endangered orangutans.

Experts warn that the death toll among animals is likely to be significant, though exact numbers remain unclear. Silvered langurs, long-tailed macaques, and proboscis monkeys have been found dead in the ashes or near dried-up ponds. Other species, including elephants, gibbons, pangolins, and turtles, are also at risk due to habitat loss and drought.

Why it matters

This event highlights the escalating impact of El Niño on Southeast Asia, with analysts indicating that the area burned and emissions are on track to match the record blazes of 2015, which charred 2.6m hectares and generated 333 megatonnes of carbon. The conversion of protected peatlands into housing and agricultural land has exacerbated the fire risk, leading to severe public health crises and ecological damage that extends beyond Indonesia's borders.

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Sources

• theguardian.com: Indonesia wildfire fuelled by El Niño razes almost 300 homes | Indonesia | The Guardian
• freemalaysiatoday.com: Indonesia wildfire burns homes, displaces hundreds | FMT

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.