BNPB urges residents in Kalimantan, Sumatra to monitor air quality

  Indonesia’s disaster agency has urged residents in Kalimantan and Sumatra to regularly monitor the Air Pollution Standard Index to protect themselves from thick smoke caused by forest and land fires.

Berton SP Panjaitan, acting head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's (BNPB) Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, said monitoring air quality is crucial as forecasts show smoke pollution spreading more widely.

“People can check air quality in their district or where they live. This information can help protect us from pollutants caused by surrounding smoke,” he said on Thursday.

Berton said thick smoke pollution is currently concentrated across West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. On Sumatra, dense pollution hotspots were detected in Riau, Jambi, and South Sumatra.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecasts show smoke from forest and land fires in Kalimantan is expected to continue spreading and intensifying through Thursday, he said.

To mitigate health risks, residents can regularly check air quality updates through official government platforms, including the Environment Ministry’s portal, before engaging in outdoor activities.

The BNPB has also opened public access to national 2026 forest and land fire response data, available to media and the public through its official dashboard at data.bnpb.go.id/data/karhutla2026.