Indonesia’s Sumatra Forest Fires Surge with 2,671 Hotspots Detected

Jambi, MINA – Forest and land fires (karhutla) on Sumatra Island remain a major concern after the number of hotspots surged to 2,671 based on the latest monitoring on Friday at 07:00 WIB.

Monitoring data shows hotspots spread across nine provinces. South Sumatra recorded the highest number with 1,583 hotspots, followed by Jambi with 330, Bangka Belitung Islands with 312, Riau with 234, Lampung with 115, Bengkulu with 39, Riau Islands with 29, West Sumatra with 21, and North Sumatra with eight.

In Aceh, land fires in West Aceh Regency have expanded to approximately 9.5 hectares across three districts: Samatiga, Johan Pahlawan, and Woyla. The largest affected area is in Gampong Mesjid Baro, Samatiga District, covering about five hectares.

In Riau, hotspots are spread across several regencies and cities. Indragiri Hilir recorded the highest with 79 hotspots, followed by Indragiri Hulu with 42 and Bengkalis with 35. Other hotspots were detected in Meranti Islands, Pelalawan, Siak, Kuantan Singingi, Pekanbaru, and Kampar.

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The fires have impacted air quality. Visibility in Pekanbaru on Thursday evening was reported at approximately five kilometers with smoky conditions, while PM2.5 particulate concentrations in the early morning and morning were in the “very unhealthy” category. Several areas in Riau are still conducting firefighting operations.

Firefighting efforts continue through ground suppression, patrols, and aerial operations. The Ministry of Forestry reported that 53 aerial assets have been deployed, including 19 for aerial patrols and weather modification operations, and 34 for water-bombing firefighting missions. Data from the Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi system as of September 3, 2026, at 21:19 WIB recorded 688 hotspots with high confidence levels across Indonesia.

Intensive monitoring is directed particularly at South Sumatra, Riau, and Jambi. The government has warned the public and businesses not to engage in land burning during dry conditions. It should be noted that the number of hotspots differs from active fire incidents, as hotspots are identified through satellite sensing and require field verification. Joint teams continue to inspect and address locations indicated to be affected by fires.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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