In brief
Indonesia’s central Kalimantan region is choking under a haze so dense it stifles life. Lee Tambunan explains that peat, a water‑logged organic soil, burns underground and sizzles for months, spewing black carbon and toxic compounds far beyond the fire’s edge. The smoke has already sickened millions and infiltrated neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, while the slow‑burn ignites climate change by releasing massive carbon dioxide and methane. Local authorities, international experts, and local communities are scrambling for solutions, but the battle demands coordinated fire‑fighting, stricter land‑use policies, and global carbon‑capture commitments. As the fires rage, the stakes rise: a clearer sky means a livelier future for Indonesia and its neighbors.
