Indonesia Sees Nearly 600% Surge in Wildfire Hotspots per July
Wildfire hotspots have grown sharply between June and July, with at least 15,067 spots detected across various regions.
Indonesia experienced a staggering 594% increase in wildfire hotspots from June to July 2026, according to the environmental watchdog Pantau Gambut. This sharp rise has raised concerns about the country's ability to effectively prevent the devastating fires that have plagued the region in recent years.
Pantau Gambut Executive Director Iola Abas emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that a reactive approach is no longer sustainable. The government cannot afford to wait for the blazes to escalate before taking action, as this would leave local communities to bear the brunt of the consequences, he said in a statement on August 10, 2026.
The five provinces with the highest surge in wildfire hotspots during the past month were identified as West Kalimantan, South Papua, Central Kalimantan, Aceh, and Riau. Pantau Gambut stressed the need for immediate action through location tracking and mapping of factors that make peatland areas particularly vulnerable to fires.
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had previously noted a significant increase in hotspots across five regions. BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani warned that local authorities should be vigilant for early signs of forest fires, as the peak of the dry season is expected to continue from August to September.
However, Pantau Gambut's data indicates a much higher number of hotspots compared to BMKG's count. As of July 28, 2026, Pantau Gambut recorded 15,067 hotspots, while BMKG had detected only 4,900 hotspots by the same date.
FireWatch, a satellite analytics platform, revealed that the total area burned in Indonesia from January to July 2026 amounted to 285,914 hectares. This figure suggests that the fire season is progressing more rapidly than anticipated. The five provinces with the largest burned areas during this period were East Nusa Tenggara, South Papua, East Java, West Kalimantan, and West Nusa Tenggara.
Experts caution that the early trends indicate a worrying trajectory similar to that of 2019, a record-breaking El Nino year and the worst fire season in Indonesia's recent history. The situation is becoming increasingly critical as the country enters the fire season during an El Nino year, when drier conditions make wildfires spread more quickly.
While the full severity of the 2026 fire season remains to be determined, these early indications highlight the urgent need for effective prevention measures and close monitoring of the situation. Authorities must act swiftly to track the location of fire-prone areas and address the underlying factors contributing to the rapid spread of blazes.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
