BNPB: Air quality in Kalimantan reaches hazardous levels

Air quality in South and West Kalimantan has reached hazardous levels as forest and land fires continue to spread smoke across the Indonesian provinces. In South Kalimantan, 13 hotspots have been linked to moderate to hazardous conditions, while heavy smoke has reduced visibility to less than three kilometres.

The worsening conditions have led local schools to adopt conditional distance learning. Berton S.P. Panjaitan, acting head of the National Disaster Management Agency’s Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, urged residents to wear masks outdoors while saying community activities were continuing normally.

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Community activities continue to run normally, but we urge the public to wear masks, particularly when venturing outdoors.

Ground crews are fighting fires across 10 regencies and cities in South Kalimantan. Authorities have identified 61 active fire spots and said personnel have extinguished more than 29 hectares. Two helicopters have conducted 65 reconnaissance sorties, while five water-bombing aircraft completed 11 sorties and dropped 1.328 million litres of water. More than 60 hectares have been brought under control through aerial operations.

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Ground personnel have successfully extinguished over 29 hectares.

Weather modification operations cannot currently proceed because there are no clouds suitable for seeding. BNPB warned that conditions could still trigger new fires, with most areas classified as easy or extremely easy to ignite. Thermal imaging cameras are being used to locate remaining hotspots, and several water-bombing aircraft can be deployed at once near airports and residential areas.

In West Kalimantan, authorities are monitoring 30 fire spots amid hazardous air quality and visibility below one kilometre. The weather agency forecasts scattered rainfall of varying intensity from September 1 to 7. If rain develops, officials plan to use weather modification operations to maximise it. Ground operations there cover 10 regencies and cities, and crews have extinguished about 262 hectares.

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Weather modification operations cannot be conducted at present due to unfavorable atmospheric conditions, as there are no cloud formations for seeding.