El Niño deepens regional strain as Southeast Asia battles fires and power risks

An exceptionally strong El Niño is causing fires, haze, and heat across parts of Asia, leading to drought and potential power shortages. In Indonesia, prolonged dry conditions have fueled fires in forests and plantations throughout the Borneo and South Sumatra regions. These fires have sent haze into neighboring countries, prompting Malaysia to close schools in several regions last week and offer firefighting assistance to Indonesia. Singapore has announced subsidies for citizens seeking medical treatment for illnesses linked to the haze.

The fires have impacted both people and wildlife. Tens of thousands of people have fallen ill, while conservationists have rescued dozens of orangutans from smoke and flames. Between August and October 9, authorities and the conservation group YIARI rescued 46 orangutans. Andi Muhammad Khadafi, head of the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency, noted that animals like a female orangutan named Novita were forced to leave their habitats due to the flames.

The weather pattern is also straining regional power systems. Myanmar has warned residents to expect electricity outages as an unseasonal heat wave increases demand for power. Experts attribute Indonesia's vulnerability to these fires to years of deforestation and peatland drainage.