Forest Fires Spread in South Kalimantan, Seven Regions Declare Emergency Alert Status

Forest and land fires (karhutla) have expanded across Kalimantan throughout August 2026. In South Kalimantan, seven regencies and cities have officially declared an emergency alert status for forest fires.

The Executive Director of WALHI South Kalimantan, Raden Rafiq, stated that the expanding forest fires cannot be viewed merely as a seasonal occurrence. He noted that this situation serves as an alarm regarding environmental degradation and the increasingly worrying climate crisis.

“The re-emergence of widespread forest fires in South Kalimantan should not be interpreted solely as a seasonal fire issue,” Raden said in Jakarta, as reported on Thursday (3/9/2026).

According to data from the South Kalimantan Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), seven areas have established an emergency alert status. These areas include Banjarbaru City, Banjar Regency, Barito Kuala, Tapin, Hulu Sungai Selatan, Hulu Sungai Utara, and Tanah Bumbu.

The area of land affected by forest fires in South Kalimantan has continued to increase throughout 2026. This occurs amidst the proliferation of hotspots across Kalimantan, which reached 37,000 hotspots throughout August 2026.

Forest fires are also impacting the community through smoke exposure. Many residents are experiencing Acute Respiratory Infections (ISPA), and some have been forced to relocate to avoid health risks caused by deteriorating air quality.

Raden assessed that the issue of forest fires cannot be separated from the climate crisis. Amidst these conditions, the reliance on coal-based energy and the support for steam power plants (PLTU) are considered potential factors that could exacerbate environmental pressure.