Smog Blankets Jambi City, Residents Choked by Burning Smell

Smog was observed blanketing most of Jambi City from Sunday morning until early afternoon (23/8), accompanied by a burning smell that rendered the city’s air quality unhealthy. According to monitoring from the ISPU (air pollution standard index) recording device near the Jambi Mayor’s Office in Kotabaru, Jambi City, the air pollution level registered 101 with a yellow background, indicating unhealthy conditions.

Acting Commander of the Jambi Forest and Land Fire Task Force, Brigadier General TNI Nyamin, confirmed the thin smog covering parts of Jambi City throughout Sunday afternoon. In agreement with the Head of the Sumatra Region Forest Fire Control Centre, Ferdian Krisnanto, Nyamin stated that the smog in Jambi City was likely carried by winds from land fire locations in southern Sumatra.

“Currently the wind is moving from the direction of Lampung and Palembang (South Sumatra). Satellite monitoring shows fires in the Muba (Musi Banyuasin) area of South Sumatra,” Nyamin said.

Based on information obtained by Media Indonesia, the forest and land fire handling situation in Jambi Province has tended to improve over the past three days. Since Friday (21/8), the number of hotspots was recorded at only 53 points. Meanwhile, land fires in several mineral soil and peatland locations that occurred in previous days were successfully controlled and extinguished.

Despite being shrouded in smog and choked by the burning smell, residents’ activities in Jambi City continued as normal. Thousands of residents across various corners of Jambi City, without wearing masks, were seen enthusiastically participating in various competitions as part of the celebrations for Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day.