[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

13 clusters · 33 sources · 58 days · First seen · Last updated

Indonesian forest fires and haze impact

Overview

By mid-September 2026, the impact of forest and land fires expanded to the Riau Islands province. In Bintan, the local government implemented remote learning via Zoom and home assignments to minimize children’s exposure to outdoor air. Regent Roby Kurniawan stated that the priority is the “health and safety of the community,” calling for close coordination among agencies to monitor the situation. In Karimun, air quality reached unhealthy levels, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Tanjung Balai Karimun recorded at 164 and PM2.5 concentrations at 75.2 micrograms per cubic meter. BMKG officials reported that the haze, which has caused greyish skies and reduced visibility, is moving northwest to north due to prevailing wind patterns. Residents have been advised to limit heavy outdoor physical activity and use high-filtration masks, such as N95 or KN95, when outdoors. Health protection measures have intensified across several regions. In Central Kalimantan, the provincial government is preparing 500,000 masks, including N95, KN95, and KN94 types, for public distribution. The Palangka Raya City Government has also established oxygen rooms in 11 community health centers to assist residents with respiratory issues. Additionally, PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur, in coordination with the Ministry of Environment, has distributed 76,400 masks to affected populations in Sumatra, West Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. As of September 14, a massive surge in hotspots across Sumatra has exacerbated the crisis. BMKG Pekanbaru reported 5,983 hotspots in the region, with South Sumatra recording the highest concentration at 4,169 points. This has led to significant visibility drops, with North Sumatra seeing visibility between 1 and 5 kilometers, and Riau seeing visibility near three kilometers. Educational disruptions have expanded; in addition to West Sumatra, the Riau Education Office mandated distance learning for high school and vocational students in Pekanbaru from September 16 to 18.

Entities

Central Kalimantan · Palangka Raya · North Sumatra · West Sumatra · Bandung Institute of Technology

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [INTERNATIONAL] 5 sources
    Kalimantan schools shift to remote learning amid forest fire haze

    Schools in Kalimantan are shifting to remote learning or evaluating limited in-person options due to thick haze from forest and land fires to ensure student and teacher safety.

  2. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Padang and Makassar implement distance learning due to haze and fuel queues

    Cities in Indonesia, including Padang and Makassar, have implemented distance learning for various school levels due to severe haze and fuel-related mobility concerns.

  3. [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    Sumatra haze triggers distance learning and visibility drops

    Severe haze from thousands of forest fire hotspots across Sumatra has triggered distance learning for students in Riau and West Sumatra and significantly reduced visibility in several provinces.

  4. [INTERNATIONAL] 7 sources
    Indonesia deploys masks and oxygen rooms to combat forest fire haze

    Indonesia is responding to forest fire haze by distributing hundreds of thousands of masks and establishing oxygen rooms in health facilities across Central Kalimantan, Sumatra, and other affected regions.

  5. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Padang implements distance learning due to poor air quality

    Schools in Padang, Indonesia, have implemented distance learning due to poor air quality from haze. Officials will decide whether to extend remote learning based on air quality assessments this Sunday.

  6. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Indonesia haze from peatland fires forces school shifts

    Haze from peatland fires in Indonesia has forced schools in East Kolaka to switch to remote learning, while authorities in West Sumatra continue to monitor air quality before implementing similar measures.

  7. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Kalimantan forest fires prompt calls for distance learning

    Officials and academics in Kalimantan are urging the use of distance learning to protect students and teachers from respiratory risks caused by heavy haze from ongoing forest and land fires.

  8. [INTERNATIONAL] 9 sources
    Indonesia shifts 1.4 million students to remote learning due to wildfire haze

    Over 1.4 million students in six Indonesian provinces have shifted to remote learning as hazardous wildfire haze causes air pollution levels to reach dangerous heights in regions like West Kalimantan.

  9. [INTERNATIONAL] 6 sources
    Kalimantan schools shift to remote learning due to forest fire haze

    Haze from forest fires in North and Central Kalimantan has triggered remote learning mandates for schools and religious institutions to protect students and staff from poor air quality.

  10. [INTERNATIONAL] 4 sources
    Central Kalimantan schools adjust schedules due to haze

    Authorities in Central Kalimantan are adjusting school schedules, reducing class hours, and suspending certain levels of education to protect students and teachers from worsening haze pollution.

  11. [INTERNATIONAL] 5 sources
    Pontianak hosts international badminton challenge amid forest fire haze

    Pontianak hosts the 2026 Polytron Pontianak International Challenge badminton tournament while facing a rise in respiratory infections due to haze from forest fires.

  12. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Banjarbaru adjusts school hours due to forest fire haze

    Banjarbaru authorities have adjusted school hours and moved activities indoors to protect students from thick haze caused by forest and land fires.

  13. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Jambi authorities consider school closures due to forest fire haze

    Jambi authorities are considering school closures and mask mandates as forest fires burn over 300 hectares, causing unhealthy air quality levels across the province.

Sources

antarafoto.com · antaranews.com · bisnis.liputan6.com · brigadanews.ph · ca.sports.yahoo.com · cebudailynews.inquirer.net · disway.id · dutatv.com · halosemarang.id · independent.co.uk · jpnn.com · koranedukasi.id · langgam.id · mediabanten.com · mediaindonesia.com · moitruong.net.vn · okezone.com · philnews.ph · pontianak-times.co.id · prokalteng.jawapos.com · regional.liputan6.com · republika.co.id · riaukepri.com · riliskalimantan.com · rri.co.id · sultratop.com · sumbar.antaranews.com · sumeks.disway.id · tabengan.com · tcsahora.com · telegraph.co.uk · thecooldown.com · viva.co.id

This summary has been updated 16 times: see revision history