Indonesia is facing a severe fire season driven by intense El Niño conditions, threatening critical Bornean orangutan populations and destroying vast tracts of carbon-rich peatland. Fires are currently burning in rainforests containing 13 of the 20 largest remaining Bornean orangutan populations, triggering urgent warnings from primatologists and conservation experts.
The Rising Toll on Endangered Wildlife and Shrinking Habitats
The Ministry of Forestry reported that 100 wildlife, including 53 Bornean orangutans, had been rescued as of Sept. 22. Rescuers have found some orangutans suffering severe physical injuries after escaping the fires. In Central Kalimantan, an approximately 4-year-old orangutan named Novita was discovered trapped near Sebangau National Park with serious burns on all four hands and feet, according to local news Betahita, and was subsequently moved to a rehabilitation center.
Anton Nurcahyo, CEO of the Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF), noted that orangutans surrounded by fire with nowhere to go can literally burn alive. The IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group warned that thousands more orangutans could be killed, injured, or displaced without urgent action. The group highlighted that subspecies Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii, or the Central Bornean orangutan, is particularly threatened as fires are occurring in habitat containing 70% of its population.
Scale of the Disaster and International Alarm
Hollywood actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio drew international attention to the crisis, sharing data on Oct. 5, 2026, indicating that blazes have consumed approximately 800,000 hectares of forest land across Kalimantan and Sumatra. This destruction releases massive carbon stores from drained and burning peatlands, which transform vital carbon sinks into substantial sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The scale evokes memories of the 1997-98 El Niño fires, when millions of hectares burned and researchers estimated that thousands of orangutans died, possibly as many as one-third of the global population at the time.
Beyond the immediate rescue emergency, the fires destroy the core shelter and food sources of surviving primates, pushing decade-long habitat restoration sites backward, such as a site in West Kalimantan.
Community-Led Resistance and Policy Debate
Amid the devastation, local communities are stepping up on the front lines. In West Kalimantan’s Ketapang regency, more than 100 women, many of them homemakers, have formed a volunteer firefighting initiative dubbed “Power of Mama,” patrolling daily for smoke and flames despite facing a sexist backlash in a region where firefighting is a male domain. Member Ramilah explained that she joined to protect the forest and combat the toxic haze impacting children’s health, maintaining a demanding daily routine of housework, taking care of cows, feeding tilapia fish, and peatland patrols.
The recurrence of fires has also renewed debate over government prevention strategies. Despite strict zero-burning policies under Ministry of Environment Circular Letter No. 16/2026 and Presidential Instruction No. 11/2026, experts argue that bans alone are unlikely to deliver lasting results against extreme drought and unmanaged land. Research led by Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) indicates that 3,840 canal blocks in Kalimantan reduced fires by no more than 6.4%, prompting calls for more comprehensive regional protection and community-driven preparation methods.
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