--- title: Indonesian wildfires point to climate crisis, not just El Niño date: 2026-08-13T04:52:10Z modified: 2026-08-13T04:52:10Z permalink: "https://350.org/press-release/indonesian-wildfires-point-to-climate-crisis-not-just-el-nino/" type: press-release status: publish excerpt: "" wpid: 175531701 categories: - Asia - Featured - Press Release author: ilang-ilangquijano timestamp: 2026-08-13T04:52:10Z tags: - Asia - Featured - Press Release --- Wildfires raging across Indonesia and producing regional transboundary haze are fueled by human-caused climate change, not just El Niño, and need more urgent and lasting measures to protect communities, people’s health, and biodiversity, [350.org](http://350.org/) said. The climate group pointed out that while authorities are quick to [blame El Niño](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/10/wildfires-burn-across-indonesia-as-officials-cite-el-nino-as-a-cause), the natural phenomenon arrived on top of higher global baseline temperatures, triggering more extreme weather. In July, the [average temperature](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-races-to-contain-fires-as-haze-spreads) in the country was 27C, higher than the 26.2C average, and the highest for the month since 1991. Pointing out that El Niño was forecast since March, [350.org](http://350.org/) Indonesia called on the Prabowo government to deliver a reliable, well-governed early warning system to at-risk communities before impacts hit. While firefighting efforts are a priority, leaders must also guarantee recovery efforts for affected communities. Recovery must be funded not by ordinary taxpayers, but by fossil fuel companies who caused the damage. **Sisilia Nurmala Dewi,** [**350.org**](http://350.org/) **Indonesia Country Manager said:** _“El Niño didn’t act alone — the climate crisis is what turned our forests into tinder. Every year, the planet gets hotter, communities lose more homes, and people breathe more toxic air. Unless we extinguish the problem of burning fossil fuels, forest fires will continue to destroy land and lives._ [350.org](http://350.org/) Indonesia urged the Prabowo government to stop delaying the implementation of an already planned measure to impose windfall taxes on coal companies’ profits. _“In fighting these fires and rebuilding what’s lost, it shouldn’t be ordinary Indonesians footing the bill. Fossil fuel companies driving this crisis must pay for the damage they’ve caused. Our leaders already have the power to make polluters pay – the only thing missing is the will to act on it.”_ **Media Contact:** Ilang-Ilang Quijano, [350.org](http://350.org/) Media Campaigner, , +639175810934