Indonesia has made combating forest and land fires in Kalimantan a top priority as the number of fire hotspots rises across the region, raising concerns over worsening air pollution and the spread of haze into neighboring Malaysia.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said it has intensified firefighting operations after satellite monitoring detected more than 900 hotspots in Kalimantan alone this week.

Indonesia’s government wildfire monitoring system, SIPONGI Kemenhut, recorded 1,250 hotspots nationwide, up from 1,187 a week earlier. Several districts in Kalimantan have already reported unhealthy air-quality conditions as smoke from fires spreads across populated areas.

BNPB has deployed helicopters to conduct aerial patrols, carry out cloud-seeding operations and drop water on fires in six priority provinces: Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan.

Nearly 13,000 personnel have been assigned to the three Kalimantan provinces to conduct ground patrols, detect new fires and carry out firefighting operations.

Authorities have recorded 3,736 hotspots so far in August, compared with just 758 in July, although the daily number of detected hotspots has fallen significantly in recent days.

The Forestry Ministry cautioned that the decline should not be interpreted as an end to the fire threat.

"The decline in hotspot figures is a positive development in forest and land fire monitoring. However, it does not indicate that all the fires have been extinguished or that the risk of forest and land fires has ended," the ministry said.

The government has consequently maintained heightened surveillance across areas considered particularly vulnerable to fires.

The scale of the fires has expanded significantly this year. Forestry Ministry data showed that 202,004 hectares (499,162 acres) of land were affected by wildfires between January and July.

That figure represents a sharp increase from the 107,465 hectares recorded between January and June. Nearly 95,000 hectares were reportedly affected by fires in July alone, underscoring the rapid deterioration during the dry season.

Authorities have warned that prolonged dry conditions could make it increasingly difficult to contain fires, particularly in peatland areas where underground burning can continue even after surface flames have been extinguished.

The fires have also caused a deterioration in air quality in several populated areas.

In Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, smoke and particulate pollution have periodically pushed air quality into hazardous levels. Local authorities have urged residents, particularly children, elderly people and those vulnerable to respiratory problems, to limit outdoor activities when haze becomes dense.

The worsening conditions have heightened fears that the annual haze crisis could intensify during the peak of the dry season.

The environmental impact is not confined to Indonesia. Smoke from fires in Kalimantan has already affected neighboring Sarawak, Malaysia, where authorities have reported deteriorating air quality.

More than 100 schools in Sarawak were closed last week as authorities sought to protect students from worsening haze linked to forest fires in neighboring Indonesia.

The cross-border haze has revived concerns over a recurring regional environmental problem that has periodically affected Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Indonesia's weather agency expects the current El Niño phenomenon to persist into early 2027, potentially prolonging dry and hot conditions.

Authorities consider August and September the most critical period for forest and land fires this year. Lower rainfall, high temperatures and drying vegetation can create conditions in which fires ignite more easily and spread rapidly.

The government has therefore emphasized prevention alongside firefighting, including intensified patrols, early detection and efforts to prevent illegal land burning.

Separately, Indonesia's Environment Ministry has inspected fires detected inside the concession area of PT Bintang Harapan Palma, a palm oil company operating in South Sumatra's Ogan Komering Ilir regency.

Officials began inspecting the concession after identifying several hotspots in the area. The investigation could determine whether fires resulted from natural causes, land-clearing activities or possible violations of environmental regulations.

Indonesia has repeatedly faced criticism over the use of fire to clear land for agriculture and plantations, particularly in peatland areas.

Despite the recent decline in daily hotspot detections, Indonesian authorities have warned that the situation remains fragile.

With the dry season continuing, El Niño expected to persist and hundreds of thousands of hectares already affected by fires this year, officials say the coming weeks will be crucial for preventing the situation from escalating.

For Indonesia, the challenge extends beyond extinguishing individual fires. Authorities must also prevent new outbreaks, protect vulnerable communities from toxic smoke and limit the spread of haze across national borders.

If the fires intensify during the peak of the dry season, the resulting haze could once again disrupt schools, transportation and economic activity in both Indonesia and neighboring Malaysia. (ILKHA)