\u201cNationally, I want to report to the Indonesian people that, once\nagain, we are not yet safe from forest and land fires\u2014but the national\ntrend is decreasing and improving,\u201d Raja Juli said in a statement on\nMonday.<\/p>\n
According to daily hotspot trend data recorded across six priority\nprovinces from August 29\u201330, 2026, Central Kalimantan experienced a\n72.4-percent drop in hotspots, decreasing from 1,116 to 308.<\/p>\n
West Kalimantan recorded a 49.4-percent decline, falling from 899 to\n455 hotspots, while South Kalimantan dropped by 83.3 percent, from 108\nto 18. Riau successfully reached zero hotspots, down from three recorded\npreviously.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, minor increases were noted in South Sumatra, where\nhotspots rose from 37 to 39, and in Jambi, which went from one to\ntwo.<\/p>\n
The minister noted that South Sumatra\u2019s figures fluctuated\nsignificantly over a five-day period, recording 62 hotspots on August\n26, 157 on August 27, 81 on August 28, 37 on August 29, and 39 on August\n30.<\/p>\n
Raja Juli cautioned that fewer surface hotspots do not mean the haze\nissue has ended, particularly in peatland areas where fires can smolder\nunderground without detection.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the nature of peat, even when there are no fires, the smoke is\nalways present. If there is no cooling, wetting, or repeated intensive\ncooling, this area still has the potential to become a fire spot again,\u201d\nhe explained.<\/p>\n
National data show that nearly 286,000 hectares of land were burned\nnationwide from January through late August 2026.<\/p>\n
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that more\nthan 48,889 hectares were scorched across the six priority provinces,\nwhile the Forestry Ministry\u2019s SIPONGI system tracked more than 1,200\nactive hotspots at peak points across Kalimantan and Sumatra.<\/p>\n
With El Ni\u00f1o fueling dry conditions, Minister Raja Juli Antoni\nappealed for widespread community involvement to support ground teams,\nvillage chiefs, and local authorities in suppressing remaining fire\nhazards before they spread.<\/p>\n
Related news: Indonesia closes nine national parks to hikes amid\nwildfire risks<\/p>\n
Translator: Arnidhya Nur Zhafira, Yashinta Difa<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-not-yet-safe-from-forest-fires-despite-hotspot-decline-1788184222", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }