BMKG Records 5,090 Potential Forest Fire Hotspots Due to Dry Season, West Kalimantan and Riau Highest

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has revealed the potential for forest and land fires (karhutla) as a result of the dry season. BMKG has recorded 5,090 fire hotspots with the potential to cause such blazes.

“We move on to information regarding the potential for forest and land fires. Slide number 19 — as of last night, monitoring of the number of fire hotspots carried out by BMKG recorded more than 5,000 points, or 5,090 points,” said Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, BMKG’s Deputy for Climatology, at a press conference at the agency’s office on Thursday (30 July 2026).

Ardhasena said there had been an increase in the number of hotspots from the start of the year through to July 2026. According to him, the rise has occurred faster than during the previous El Nino period.

“West Kalimantan, South Papua and Riau are recorded as the provinces contributing the highest number of hotspots,” he said.

He explained that the peak risk of forest and land fires occurs between August and September. Those months are forecast to mark the height of this year’s dry season.

“What about the subsequent risk of forest and land fire potential from August to November 2026? The peak risk is predicted in August and September,” he said.

He said a number of regions face significant risk of forest fires. According to him, the priority provinces are Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Papua.

“The risk increases slightly for Sulawesi island in September and October, and gradually we see it decline from October to November 2026. So the critical months are from now, July through to the end of September 2026,” he concluded.