Indonesia on track to have the worst fire season since 1997

by staff from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies

Much of western Indonesia is currently burning, producing enormous amounts of smoke-haze, and disrupting large parts of society in the region. Scientists are suggesting that this is not ‘normal’ seasonal burning and could end up ranking among the worst on record. This is one of the first severe impacts of the strong El Niño that has been developing over the last year.

“The El Niño is now in full swing and is one of the largest El Niño events of the last 50 years,” says Tony Barnston, who is the chief forecaster at Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society.

Read full article at: https://medium.com/@climatesociety/indonesia-on-track-to-have-the-worst-fire-season-since-1997-49b55e19be5f