Thousands of Hotspots Detected as Sumatra Forest Fires Persist

Jakarta, MINA – Forest and land fires in Sumatra remain a major concern, with the latest monitoring data showing thousands of hotspots detected across the island, with the highest concentration in sumatra/">South Sumatra.

According to monitoring by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported on Friday, there were 1,685 hotspots in Sumatra, with 1,204 located in sumatra/">South Sumatra. The data indicates that hotspot activity remains relatively high in the region.

Meanwhile, another report based on data from SiPongi of the Ministry of Forestry recorded 3,452 hotspots in Sumatra as of October 1, 2026. sumatra/">South Sumatra again recorded the highest number, with 2,589 hotspots. Differences between monitoring figures can occur due to different observation times, satellites, and confidence levels used.

In sumatra/">South Sumatra, the forest fire situation has drawn particular attention. SiPongi data cited on October 2 showed 3,059 hotspots spread across 15 regencies and cities, with most located in peatland areas. In Riau, hotspot developments have also begun to be monitored. BMKG recorded six hotspots on October 2, all in Kampar Regency, with two having high confidence levels.

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The Ministry of Forestry said Friday it continues to strengthen forest fire control through field monitoring, patrols, ground extinguishing, and air operations. Based on SiPongi monitoring on October 1 at 21:10 WIB, there were 582 high-confidence hotspots nationally, including 78 in sumatra/">South Sumatra and two in Riau.

The forest fire situation in Sumatra still requires vigilance as atmospheric conditions in early October do not yet fully support widespread wetting. BMKG previously forecast that rain would gradually increase in several fire-prone areas of Sumatra during September–October, which is expected to help suppress hotspots and smoke distribution.

People in fire-prone areas are urged not to burn land. The government also continues to monitor hotspots and conduct field verification, as hotspots are indications of surface temperature anomalies and do not automatically mean fires have occurred.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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