The Worst Fires in Indonesia May Be the Ones You Can’t See

Indonesia is facing a severe fire season driven by intense drought and a strengthening El Nino, with fires capable of smoldering underground in peatlands for months. These underground peat fires are exceptionally difficult to extinguish and release massive amounts of greenhouse gases and hazardous particulate pollution that severely degrade regional air quality. Experts warn that the current trajectory mimics the devastating 2015 fire season, threatening widespread disruptions to daily life, public health, and air travel. Satellites often fail to detect these hidden subsurface and canopy-covered fires, highlighting the urgent need for advanced monitoring tools and sustained prevention efforts beyond immediate crisis periods. The situation underscores how historical land-use changes, such as wetland drainage in the 1990s, have amplified the flammability of tropical peatlands. Researchers and agencies are actively testing new shortwave infrared detection techniques to better track these invisible hazards beneath dense vegetation and smoke. Authorities and researchers emphasize that maintaining long-term focus and robust prevention infrastructure is essential to mitigate catastrophic emissions and public health crises in future dry seasons.