Air quality in Indonesia reaches unhealthy levels due to forest fires

Air quality in several Indonesian regions has deteriorated due to forest and land fires (karhutla). In Kubu Raya, West Kalimantan, PM2.5 concentrations reached 250.0 µg/m³ on Wednesday morning, a level classified by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) as very unhealthy. This particulate matter poses significant health risks, particularly to children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions.

Forest fire data from the Ministry of Forestry indicates that burned areas in West Kalimantan have reached 38.3 thousand hectares in 2026, surpassing the 2025 total of 26,702 hectares. Other areas reporting unhealthy air quality include Musi 2 in Palembang, Pesawaran in Lampung, and Kemayoran in Central Jakarta.

In Pekanbaru, Riau, thin fog—suspected to be smoke from forest fires—was observed on Tuesday morning. While the air quality index in Pekanbaru was recorded at a moderate level with a PM2.5 concentration of 43.2, residents noted a lack of freshness in the air compared to typical morning dew.