BALINEWSID.COM, JAKARTA — The number of high-confidence wildfire hotspots detected across Indonesia has surged to 559, up by 228 from 331 recorded a day earlier, according to monitoring data from the Ministry of Forestry.

The data from the ministry’s SiPongi monitoring system showed that the hotspots were detected as of Sunday (Sept. 27) at 9:10 p.m. local time, with Central Kalimantan emerging as the main area of concern.

High-confidence hotspots in Central Kalimantan jumped to 134 from 30 a day earlier. In the six provinces designated as priority areas for wildfire response, the number of high-confidence hotspots rose to 204 from 111.

The six priority provinces recorded varying trends. Central Kalimantan had 134 hotspots, up from 30; South Sumatra recorded 29, down from 38; South Kalimantan recorded 25, down from 40; West Kalimantan recorded 11, up from two; Jambi recorded five, up from one; while Riau recorded no high-confidence hotspots, unchanged from the previous day.

The Ministry of Forestry said the increase was immediately followed up with field verification and strengthened firefighting operations, particularly in Central Kalimantan.

Ground operations include patrols, field checks, firefighting, land wetting, mop-up operations and cooling efforts aimed at preventing fires from spreading or reigniting.

The ministry stressed that a hotspot does not necessarily represent a fire incident. Hotspots indicate surface-temperature anomalies detected by NASA’s Terra/Aqua, SNPP and NOAA-20 satellites. A single fire can be detected as multiple hotspots.

Therefore, the number of hotspots cannot be directly equated with the number of actual fires or the total area burned. All satellite-based indications require field verification.

61 Aircraft Deployed for Fire Response

The government has deployed 61 aircraft to support wildfire response operations nationwide.

Of the total, 17 aircraft are being used for patrols and Weather Modification Operations, while 44 are assigned to water-bombing missions.

A total of 55 aircraft are supporting operations in the six priority provinces, while six additional water-bombing aircraft have been deployed to assist other affected areas.

Aerial operations are being conducted alongside ground operations involving the Ministry of Forestry’s Manggala Agni firefighting units, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police (Polri), regional disaster management agencies, local governments, communities, volunteers, businesses and other stakeholders.

Weather Modification Operations are also being carried out to help wet vulnerable areas. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported weather modification operations for peatland wetting and wildfire response in Central Kalimantan from Sept. 22 to 27, and in South Kalimantan from Sept. 22 to 26.

Air Quality Deteriorates in Parts of Kalimantan

PM2.5 monitoring showed that most parts of Indonesia remained in the good to moderate air-quality categories. However, several areas in Kalimantan recorded unhealthy to very unhealthy conditions.

Air quality and visibility can change depending on particulate concentrations, smoke, wind conditions and weather. In Pontianak, for example, the BMKG forecast hazy conditions and light rain for Sept. 27-28, with visibility of around two kilometers.

On Sunday, the BMKG also issued early warnings of moderate to heavy rain in several priority provinces, including Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, South Sumatra, Riau and Jambi.

Rainfall can help wet affected areas, but authorities have warned that vigilance remains necessary because embers can persist beneath the surface of peatlands and potentially reignite fires.

Authorities Urge Public to Protect Wildlife

The Ministry of Forestry has also warned that wildfires pose risks not only to communities but also to wildlife habitats and the safety of animals.

People who encounter wildlife that has left its natural habitat or is found near fire-affected areas are advised not to capture or evacuate the animals themselves.

Instead, residents are urged to keep a safe distance, record the location and condition of the animal if possible, and immediately report the sighting to the relevant Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) or the nearest forestry official.

Residents in smoke-affected areas are also advised to monitor local air-quality information and follow instructions from local authorities. If air quality deteriorates, people should reduce outdoor activities and wear masks when going outside.

Children, pregnant women, older adults and people with respiratory conditions or chronic illnesses require particular attention during periods of poor air quality.

The Ministry of Forestry has also reiterated its call for communities and businesses not to clear or open land by burning.

Anyone who spots smoke, fire or land-burning activities is urged to report them immediately so that authorities can respond as early as possible.