Fires Ravage Indonesia, Firefighters Battle Blazes as Weather Modification Operations Prepared

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has recorded 1,532 disaster events in Indonesia up to Friday, 21 August 2026, according to graphic data on the agency’s official website. Of these, 454 were forest and land fires (karhutla), and 87 were drought events.

In the reporting period of 20-21 August 2026, BNPB noted that forest and land fires were reported in East Belitung Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, on Thursday (20/8/2026). The fires occurred in Lalang Village, Manggar District, and Lenggang and Lintang Villages in Renggiang District. A total of 3.8 hectares of land were burned. The fires were successfully extinguished the same day, with no casualties reported. However, the East Belitung Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) continues to monitor the area to ensure the fires do not reignite or spread.

Forest and land fires also affected 20 hectares of forest in Petak 102 Aren, Kalianyar Village, Ijen District, Bondowoso Regency on 19 August 2026, and were successfully extinguished by the East Java and Bondowoso BPBD on Thursday (20/8/2026).

On the same day, a fire burned 8 hectares of land in Magetan Regency on Wednesday (19/8) at 14.00 WIB. The fire occurred in community forest areas in Mategal Village, Parang District, and Giripurno Village, Kawedanan District. The fire was successfully extinguished on Thursday (20/8/2026).

East Java Province has issued Governor’s Decree No. 100.3.3.3/327/013/2026 on the Emergency Alert Status for Drought and Forest and Land Fire Disasters in East Java, effective for 180 days from 16 May to 6 October 2026. “The designation was made to maximise efforts to handle dry hydrometeorological disasters,” said Berton.

A fire occurred in Kaulon Village, Sutojayan District, Blitar Regency. The 3 hectares of burned land consisted of dry vegetation and surface litter. The Blitar Regency BPBD and related agencies immediately carried out firefighting operations. By Thursday (20/8/2026) at 18.30 WIB, the fire was successfully extinguished.

Meanwhile, Acting Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Centre, Berton SP Panjaitan, stated that new forest and land fire incidents continue to emerge in several areas of Kalimantan Island. “Handling forest and land fires in Kalimantan remains the government’s top priority. In addition to strengthening ground task forces, BNPB is also strengthening fire handling through air task forces in six priority provinces. As of Friday (21/8/2026), air task force reinforcement has been carried out in six priority provinces,” Berton said in a statement on Friday (21/8/2026).

He explained that in Paser Regency, East Kalimantan Province, fire hotspots reappeared in Tanah Grogot, Batu Sopang, and Batu Engau Districts. The fires occurred on Wednesday (19/8/2026) in a conservation park with land material consisting of shrubs and peat. The total burned area reached 25.29 hectares.

The Paser Regency BPBD immediately went to the location to extinguish the fires by ground and conduct post-fire monitoring. The fires were successfully extinguished on Thursday (20/8/2026).

Meanwhile, other areas in East Kalimantan that also experienced significant forest and land fires include Kutai Kartanegara Regency. On Wednesday (19/8/2026), fires occurred in several areas: Loa Gagak Village, Loa Kulu District; Spontan Mangkurawang Sub-district, Tenggarong District; Pendingin Sub-district, Sanga-Sanga District; Kayu Bata Village, Muara Muntai District; Muara Kembang Sub-district, Muara Jawa District; and Kota Bangun Hulu Village, Kota Bangun District.

The total burned area that day reached 49.55 hectares, with the largest burned area in Pendingin Sub-district at 42 hectares.

According to Berton, the Kutai Kartanegara BPBD Rapid Reaction Team, along with volunteers and firefighters, immediately deployed to various accessible points to conduct ground firefighting. Visually, by Thursday (20/8/2026), the fires had been successfully extinguished in all locations except Pendingin Sub-district, where drone monitoring still showed 6-7 fire hotspots.

For fire handling in Riau, BNPB has deployed 1 helicopter for patrol, 1 helicopter for weather modification operations, and 5 helicopters for water bombing. In Jambi Province, 1 helicopter has been deployed for patrol, 1 for weather modification operations, and 2 for water bombing. In South Sumatra, BNPB has deployed 1 helicopter for air patrol, 1 for weather modification operations, and 7 for water bombing. In South Kalimantan, BNPB is operating 1 helicopter for patrol, 1 for weather modification, and 3 for water bombing. In Central Kalimantan, 1 helicopter is used for patrol, 1 for weather modification, and 4 for air firefighting or water bombing. Finally, in West Kalimantan, BNPB is operating 2 helicopters for patrol, 1 for weather modification operations, and 5 for water bombing.

“The operation of these helicopters will continue to be adjusted according to needs in the field. For weather modification operations, BNPB is collaborating with BMKG to monitor the growth of potential rain clouds that can be utilised for weather modification,” Berton explained.

To assist in fire suppression in Kalimantan amid the drought caused by the current El Niño-affected dry season, weather modification operations are being conducted in Kalimantan’s skies. According to the Deputy for Weather Modification at the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Tri Handoko Seto, weather modification has been carried out frequently and will be conducted again starting tomorrow. “East Kalimantan starts tomorrow, the 22nd (Saturday, 22/8/2026). West Kalimantan will start on the 23rd (Sunday, 23/8/2026),” Seto told CNBC Indonesia.