CREA study links Indonesia fires to 3,560 deaths in September

The CREA report comes as Indonesia has battled wildfires for months, with deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas saying fires consumed more than 1.9 million hectares in the nine months to September. The government has not confirmed or rejected that figure. The haze has affected pollution levels as far as Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and East Timor, clouding Indonesia's ties with its neighbors.

Experts largely blame slash-and-burn land-clearing practices, often by timber, palm oil or mining companies. The CREA report argues the government should shift from wildfire response to restoring peatlands left fire-prone by draining, and enforce laws against illegal burning. It also calls for stricter emissions standards in regions like Java, where non-fire sources such as industry and vehicles are major contributors.

The government on Wednesday defended its approach, stating more than 72,000 people were deployed in cloud-seeding and firefighting, over 2,100 doctors and health workers were activated, and 5.3 million masks were distributed. Agus Sari of Landscape Indonesia consultancy criticized the government's "weak preparedness" and pointed to budget cuts hampering the national disaster management agency.