In recent days, opening a window has become a frightening experience\nfor Nanda\u2014not her real name\u2014and her family. The clear skies and fresh\nair she used to breathe in the morning have now been replaced by thick\nsmoke blanketing almost the entire city of Banjarmasin, South\nKalimantan. Nanda worries about her health and that of her children.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy child once had a history of lung infection,\u201d Nanda told detikX\nlast week. \u201cDuring the day I don\u2019t dare leave the house either, the heat\nis unbearable. My child is still coughing even now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friska\u2014also not her real name\u2014shares the same concern. Even without\nleaving the house, the smoke inside is already suffocating and makes her\neyes sting. As a result, her toddler\u2019s eyes now often water.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow the baby has also come down with coughing and flu,\u201d Friska told\ndetikX.<\/p>\n
According to Ministry of Health data as of 27 August 2026, forest and\nland fires have affected at least 10.6 million people. South Kalimantan\nis among the worst-affected regions, with a total of 2.1 million people\nimpacted. The impact is even more severe in West Kalimantan, with 3.36\nmillion people affected, followed by Central Kalimantan with 2.7\nmillion.<\/p>\n
The deteriorating air quality caused by forest fires in several\nregions has led to a rise in acute respiratory infection cases\nthroughout 2026. Head of the Ministry of Health\u2019s Communication and\nPublic Services Bureau, Aji Muhawarman, said that from week 27 to week\n35 of 2026, the number of acute respiratory infection cases has more\nthan doubled compared with the same period last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cAcute respiratory infection cases show an increasing trend of more\nthan 400,000 cases per week, compared with the same week in 2025,\u201d Aji\nsaid on Thursday, 20 August 2026, as quoted by detikHealth.<\/p>\n
The fires have not only affected humans but also the habitats of\niconic species such as tigers, rhinos, elephants and orangutans. Data\nfrom Auriga Nusantara shows that between January and June 2026, at least\n3,964 hectares of tiger habitat, 2,542 hectares of rhino habitat, 1,561\nhectares of Sumatran elephant habitat and 3,376 hectares of orangutan\nhabitat were burned.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo the total forest fires in those habitats, for the iconic species\nmentioned, amount to 11,442 hectares,\u201d said Auriga Nusantara\u2019s Director\nof Communications and Advocacy, Bram Fahmy, to detikX.<\/p>\n
Beyond the habitats of iconic species, Bram revealed that the fires\nhave also spread into conservation areas. A total of 179 conservation\nunits have been affected, including 39 national parks and 140\nnon-national park conservation areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cLed by Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park (2,802 hectares) and\nLorentz (1,698 hectares),\u201d Bram said.<\/p>\n
Based on Ministry of Forestry data, the total area of forest and land\nfires nationwide up to 31 July 2025 reached 202,004 hectares. This\nfigure is nearly three times the size of Singapore.<\/p>\n
Head of the Ministry of Forestry\u2019s Public Relations and Foreign\nCooperation Bureau, Ristianto Pribadi, said that of the more than\n200,000 hectares, around 57 percent, or 115,890 hectares, is within\nforest areas, while 43 percent, or 86,000 hectares, is in other land use\nareas.<\/p>\n
According to Rianto, this year\u2019s fires have largely been triggered by\nhuman activity, whether through negligence or deliberate action. For\nexample, he continued, the use of fire in land clearing or land\nmanagement processes.<\/p>\n
\u201cDry weather conditions then increase the ease of ignition. Once fire\nappears, dry vegetation and land, wind, limited water and difficult\naccess to the location can accelerate the spread of fire,\u201d Rianto\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Rianto said the Ministry of Forestry has traced six companies holding\nforest utilisation business permits that are suspected of causing the\nfires. The six companies are PT WEL, PT FI, PT MPK and PT WSP operating\nin West Kalimantan; PT NES in Central Kalimantan; and PT PSR in East\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe total burned area found in the six permit holders reached\n1,511.55 hectares,\u201d Rianto added.<\/p>\n
Five companies have been subjected to government enforcement\nsanctions, while PT MPK has had its business permit frozen in addition\nto receiving government enforcement sanctions. PT MPK received a heavier\npenalty because the fires in its area were extensive and recurring.\nThrough these sanctions, the company is required to improve its fire\ncontrol systems and carry out restoration of the affected areas.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat said around 85,000\nhectares of fire hotspots are located within concession areas. A total\nof 335 companies are recorded as concession holders with fire\nhotspots.<\/p>\n
Some companies, Jumhur said, have now been sealed. However, he did\nnot specify the names of the companies.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf 335 companies\u2014and it could even be more\u2014the indication is that\nthere is an intention to clear land the easy way, the cheap way, by\nburning,\u201d Jumhur said, as quoted from his official Instagram account\n@lingkunganjumhur<\/span>.<\/p>\n Auriga Nusantara\u2019s Director of Communications and Advocacy, Bram\nFahmy, said that government enforcement sanctions and permit freezes\nalone are not enough to deter companies responsible for forest burning.\nThe government should be firmer with these companies by directly\nrevoking their permits if they are proven to have carried out\nburning.<\/p>\n In addition to imposing sanctions, the government needs to improve\nfire management governance. There needs to be an integrated prevention\nprogramme involving local governments and communities, especially the\nFire Care Communities established during President Joko Widodo\u2019s\nadministration.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause land fires, in addition to causing environmental and\necological degradation, also eliminate the economic potential of\ncommunities,\u201d Bram concluded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forest-fire-catastrophe-on-the-worlds-lungs-island-1788180885",
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