Hotspots from Forest and Land Fires Increase

Hot, dry weather continues across much of Indonesia. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said that between 16 and 19 October 2026, hotspot numbers fluctuated but generally trended upwards, particularly in Kalimantan.

According to BMKG monitoring on 19 October 2026, the number of high-confidence hotspots in Central Kalimantan surged from 157 to 937, while West Kalimantan rose from 31 to 231 and South Sumatra from 19 to 66, compared with the previous day. An increase was also recorded in East Java, from 10 to 36 hotspots.

The rise in hotspot numbers coincided with smoke being detected across parts of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua, according to BMKG’s Directorate of Public Meteorology.

The developments point to the need for extra vigilance against forest and land fires, particularly in Central and West Kalimantan.

Hot weather

Hot and relatively dry conditions continued in several parts of Indonesia in mid-October 2026. Maximum temperatures reached 38.5°C in West Java and 38°C in Lampung and Central Java on 17 October, while East Java recorded a maximum of 38°C on 16 October.