The Longed-for Fresh Air
Not only does it damage the environment and ecosystems, but forest and land fires (karhutla) have also evolved into a health disaster for the community.
Banjarbaru (ANTARA) - Haze caused by forest and land fires in South Kalimantan has persisted for the last three months, spanning from July to this September.
Banjarbaru has become one of the most severely affected areas, besieged by fires from all sides. In this city, the fires have hit the Landasan Ulin District, which includes the primary zone of Syamsudin Noor International Airport in the Syamsudin Noor and Guntung Payung villages, as well as the Liang Anggang District, ranging from the Pengayuan area in South Landasan Ulin to the Liang Anggang protected forest.
This condition is exacerbated by smoke drifting from neighbouring regions that directly border Banjarbaru, such as Banjar Regency, Tanah Laut, and Barito Kuala.
As of Sunday (20/09/2026), the air quality in the capital of South Kalimantan has not improved and is, in fact, worsening. Residents are forced to breathe unhealthy air throughout the day.
The worst conditions occur from before dawn until the morning. The air only improves slightly during the afternoon when the intense sunlight begins to disperse the thick smoke. This recurring situation leaves residents constantly struggling with the unending threat of wildfire smoke.
Outdoor activities are increasingly risky, potentially triggering health issues such as Acute Respiratory Infections (ISPI), pneumonia, asthma, and eye irritation.
Fitrianyah (31), a resident of Jalan Kasturi 2, Syamsudin Noor Village, admitted she has been forced to stop her morning jogging routine. “It has been two months now, since August, that I have stopped jogging because the smoke gets worse every morning,” she said.
She believes that exercising amidst poor air quality is actually dangerous. The intention to stay healthy instead carries the risk of falling ill due to inhaling air contaminated by the residue of land burning.
A similar sentiment was shared by Nur Laila (41), a resident of Jalan Kurnia, North Landasan Ulin Village. She has chosen to stop weekend cycling since the haze arrived. Nur hopes that air quality will recover soon so that the community can carry out outdoor activities without being overshadowed by anxiety.
Fresh air is now something deeply longed for by the residents of the “Kota Idaman” (Ideal City), which, according to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), was inhabited by 285,546 people at the end of 2024.