Biomass burning is a major source of black carbon aerosols. These aerosols have negative human health impacts and can affect the radiation budget and climate both directly and indirectly. Uncertainty regarding the contribution of biomass burning to the concentration of aerosols is higher in Southeast Asia than in some other regions of substantial biomass burning because of other sources of pollution such as significant fossil fuel combustion. The shifting agricultural tradition is still evident in the region. Significant expansion of cash crop production is also associated with biomass burning, as is the seasonal burning of crop residue. The effects of such land-use processes extend into the atmosphere, and localized events have regional and global implications for air-pollution-related health effects and climate. This article synthesizes the issue of biomass burning and aerosols in the context of land-use practices in Southeast Asia and makes suggestions of how to use available data sources in an integrated analysis.