Indonesia braces for strong El Niño 2026 to avert drought and forest fires
Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG has declared the 2026 El Niño event active and strong, with the sea‑surface temperature index rising to about two. Officials warned the phenomenon could lengthen the dry season, heighten drought risk and increase forest‑and‑land fire (karhutla) danger across the archipelago. President Prabowo Subianto instructed ministries to secure water supplies and prevent fires, directing the agency to focus on two priorities: filling reservoirs through weather‑modification techniques and wetting areas to curb fire spread. BMKG also noted the Indian Ocean Dipole remains neutral but is expected to shift to a positive phase from September to December 2026, further suppressing rainfall.
In Central Java, BMKG highlighted that the strong El Niño threatens agriculture, clean‑water availability and socio‑economic stability, describing a progression from meteorological drought to agricultural and eventually hydrological drought. In Central Kalimantan, monitoring between 1‑21 July 2026 recorded 117 hotspots, 30 fire incidents and 27.09 hectares burned. Experts label the upcoming event “Super El Niño 2026‑2027” or “El Niño Godzilla” and call for rapid, coordinated action, including massive public‑awareness campaigns, expanded fire‑fighting infrastructure, and training of response teams.
Entities: BMKG · Badan Restorasi Gambut dan Mangrove (BRGM) · El Niño 2026 · IPB University · Indonesia · President Prabowo Subianto · Prof. Sudarsono Soedomo · Super El Niño 2026‑27 · Teuku Faisal Fathani
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] El Niño 2026 has become active and is classified as strong, with the index around two. (BMKG)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] President Prabowo Subianto instructed the government to ensure water availability and prevent forest fires during the El Niño. (President Prabowo Subianto)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Experts have labeled the upcoming event “Super El Niño 2026‑2027” or “El Niño Godzilla.” (Prof. Sudarsono Soedomo and other experts)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] From 1‑21 July 2026, Central Kalimantan recorded 117 hotspots, 30 fire incidents and 27.09 hectares burned. (Posko PDB Karhutla BPB‑PK Central Kalimantan)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The government is urged to launch massive public‑awareness campaigns and improve fire‑fighting infrastructure and training. (Various government officials and experts)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] BMKG head Teuku Faisal Fathani identified reservoir filling via weather modification and wetting to prevent fires as the two main response priorities. (Teuku Faisal Fathani)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Central Java, the strong El Niño raises risk of drought that could affect agriculture, water supply and socio‑economic conditions. (BMKG)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Indian Ocean Dipole is neutral but expected to become positive from September to December 2026. (BMKG)