Transboundary Haze in Southeast Asia: The 2015 Fires Were Only the Beginning
![Transboundary Haze in Southeast Asia: The 2015 Fires Were Only the Beginning](/sites/default/files/styles/max_325x325/public/images/blog/img-8990.jpg?itok=-sqLfRR5)
In the last two weeks, Indonesian islands Sumatra and Borneo began experiencing severe forest fires, evoking fears within the region that the fires could have similar effects to the fires of 2015, which was one of the worst years for transboundary haze in Southeast Asia. Following the 2015 fires, Indonesia took steps to limit the burning and draining of peatland to reduce the outbreak of fires in addition to improving environmental sustainability and air quality in the region. However, due to a combination of governance challenges and climate change-intensifying dry seasons, the country has struggled to keep up with implementing fire mitigating activities in all fire-prone areas.