Carbon Monoxide Envelops Indonesia, BRIN Expert Warns of Deadly Effects

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — Indonesians have been alarmed by satellite imagery from NASA showing carbon monoxide (CO) across the country. As of Saturday morning (17 October 2026), high concentrations of the gas were still visible, with dark red shading covering the map of Indonesia.

Albertus Sulaiman, a researcher at the BRIN Centre for Climate and Atmospheric Research, said the spread of carbon monoxide was caused by land and forest fires at several locations in Indonesia, from Kalimantan and Sumatra to Papua.

“When [peatland] fires occur, they produce CO because peatland fires involve incomplete combustion,” Albertus said in a text message.

He added that the gas spreading as far as Java was not necessarily solely the result of peatland fires in Kalimantan. Fires on mountains, combined with accumulated air pollution, also produce CO in Java, he said.

Albertus said the only way to reduce carbon monoxide enveloping the country was to restore peat forests to their natural condition.

“Ecologically, peatlands produce their own rain, so there is no prolonged dry season,” he said. This would help control the risk of forest and land fires.

Conversely, if the current situation is allowed to continue, Albertus warned, CO could have devastating consequences. The gas is colourless and odourless, and can poison the blood.

“[CO] is deadly. CO is known as a silent killer,” he said.

According to the official website of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), carbon monoxide exposure can affect health in the following ways:

• Low concentrations: cause fatigue in healthy people and chest pain (angina) in people with heart disease.

• Moderate concentrations: cause impaired vision, reduced brain function and flu-like symptoms, which usually ease after leaving the affected space.

• High concentrations: cause dizziness, severe headaches, nausea, confusion and impaired coordination, and can ultimately be fatal.