Indonesia faces wildfire risks amid El Nino and Mount Raung smoke

Indonesia is facing increased risks of forest and land fires due to a strong El Nino phenomenon causing prolonged dry conditions. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued a warning, identifying West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Papua, and East Kalimantan as priority provinces due to high hotspot counts.

Rainfall is not expected to increase significantly across much of the country, including Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara, until mid-October. In response, weather modification operations are being conducted to mitigate the crisis.

Separately, the Geological Agency confirmed that recent smoke plumes observed on the southern slopes of Mount Raung in East Java were caused by land fires rather than volcanic eruptions. While the volcano remains at Level II (Alert) status, seismic activity has not indicated magma migration, though authorities advise staying at least three kilometers away from the crater due to potential volcanic gas accumulation.