Rain that fell over parts of Indonesia this week has offered a brief respite from widespread surface fires, briefly reducing smoke and improving air quality in some affected areas. Firefighters and residents took advantage of the wet weather to tackle blazes that have been burning across the region since the dry season began.
Despite the temporary improvement, underground peat fires remain a persistent problem. Peatlands, once ignited, can smoulder beneath the surface for long periods and are difficult to extinguish because they burn in layers of decomposed organic matter below ground. Those subterranean fires continue to generate smoke and toxic haze even where flames on the surface have been dampened.
The haze produced by these peat and forest fires has cross-border effects, contributing to air pollution in neighbouring countries and presenting public-health concerns. Authorities have issued warnings about the risks to respiratory health, and the intermittent nature of the rainfall means that any gains in air quality could quickly be reversed if dry conditions return.
Firefighting and land-management experts say addressing the recurring seasonal blazes will require sustained effort beyond short-term suppression. Measures commonly cited include restoring and re-wetting peatlands, strengthening fire-prevention enforcement, and supporting alternative land-clearing methods for agriculture. For now, communities, emergency responders and regional authorities remain on alert as underground fires continue to smoulder and the threat of renewed smoke persists.