Parents in Pontianak Anxious Over Haze from Forest Fires, Hope Schools Are Closed
Parents of students in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, are hoping the local education office will close schools or implement distance learning (PJJ). The request comes as haze from forest and land fires (karhutla) has thickened once again.
“Over the past three days the haze has started to thicken. Today as well. Previously schools were closed, then they reopened. If conditions start to get thick again, I hope schools will be closed again or children can study from home online,” said Rahmawati, a parent of a second-grade student at MIN 4 Pontianak, as reported by Antara on Friday (21/8/2026).
Parents are worried about their children’s condition due to the haze. She said the poor air quality shrouded in smoke could potentially cause children to suffer from acute respiratory infections and other illnesses.
“We know children at school will definitely play outside and do not fully understand that the haze is dangerous. So we hope the Pontianak city government, through the relevant agency, will issue a policy to temporarily close schools or conduct online learning,” she said.
In August 2026, haze began affecting a number of areas in West Kalimantan, including Pontianak. The haze is the result of land fires in several regions.
A total of 3,759 hotspots were detected in West Kalimantan based on monitoring on 20 August 2026 from 00.00 to 23.00 WIB. Data sourced from the West Kalimantan Provincial Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) based on BMKG monitoring showed that of the total hotspots detected, 224 had a high confidence level, 3,389 had medium confidence, and 146 had low confidence.
Ketapang regency was the area with the highest number of hotspots, reaching 1,795. This was followed by Sanggau with 466, Landak with 268, Kubu Raya with 254, North Kayong with 200, and Melawi with 190. Sekadau recorded 150, Kapuas Hulu 126, Sintang 111, Bengkayang 95, Sambas 59, Mempawah 44, and Singkawang 1. Meanwhile, Pontianak city was not detected to have any hotspots during the monitoring period.
Hotspot detection was carried out using VIIRS and MODIS sensors installed on several satellites, namely NOAA-20, S-NPP, Terra, and Aqua. These satellites detect thermal anomalies compared to surrounding conditions.
Air quality in Pontianak was monitored at a very poor level. Based on IQAir data, Pontianak’s air quality index (AQI⁺ US) reached 491 at 09.00 WIB on Thursday, 21 August 2026. This figure falls into the ‘hazardous’ category. Under such conditions, air quality is not only a concern for vulnerable groups but has the potential to impact the health of the general public.
In the IQAir data, PM2.5 was the main pollutant with a concentration reaching 321 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³). PM2.5 consists of very small pollution particles that can be inhaled deep into the respiratory tract. Exposure to high levels of fine particles can increase the risk of respiratory problems and affect heart health.
Data on the IQAir screen also showed that weather conditions in Pontianak at the time were around 31 degrees Celsius, with wind speeds of 8 kilometres per hour and 51 per cent humidity.
Meanwhile, hourly forecasts displayed by IQAir showed the AQI remained at a very high level, although it was expected to decline gradually. At 10.00 WIB, the AQI was forecast to be at 466, then 440 at 11.00, 413 at 12.00, 385 at 13.00, and 358 at 14.00 WIB.
Given these conditions, the public is urged to pay closer attention to air quality before engaging in outdoor activities. Reducing strenuous physical activity outdoors, especially when air quality is very poor, can help reduce exposure to pollution. The public can also monitor air quality developments regularly through available air quality monitoring sources. It should be noted that air quality data can change from time to time along with changes in weather, wind direction and speed, and the condition of pollution sources.