Indonesia’s nationwide burned area reached 202,004 hectares between January and July 2026, an increase of 69 percent compared to the same period in 2025, according to the Ministry of Forestry’s Fire Monitoring System (SiPongi).
While active fire suppression efforts continue, satellite analysis from the deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas suggests the cumulative damage across the country had climbed to approximately 2.88 million hectares by the end of October 2026.
The crisis remains particularly acute in South Papua. Data from the Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi system indicates that between January and July 2026, forest and land fires affected 25,838 hectares in the region. Mapping by MapBiomas, which utilizes pixel-based spatial data analysis, suggests the scale of these fires has become the largest in Indonesia.
The intensity of the situation is reflected in daily fluctuations: on November 3, 653 hectares were under control, a figure that dropped to 527 hectares on November 4 before surging to 1,632 hectares on November 5. By November 10, 2026, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded 559 hotspots in South Papua, a dramatic increase from the 119 hotspots identified just one day earlier.
West Kalimantan currently holds the status of the province with the largest burned area nationwide, followed by South Papua, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and Riau. As of November 7, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported 2,733 hotspots across Indonesia, with 928 confirmed as fire spots. The agency said that approximately 1,430 hectares required active firefighting efforts at that time, a decrease from 5,191 hectares measured on November 5.
The Indonesian government is pursuing a strategy of hydrological restoration to mitigate future risks. “One way to restore the peatland ecosystem so that it can function properly is through rewetting,” Satyawan Pudyatmoko, Head of the National Peatland and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN), said.
The government is also coordinating with local administrations, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the Indonesian National Police (Polri). Kristomei, an official with the BNPB, stated during a coordination meeting with the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs on November 9, 2026, that the agency has developed an integrated spatial data monitoring system.
“The firefighting efforts must be followed by cooling, checking for embers, and re-monitoring to ensure there are no heat sources that could reignite the fire,” Kristomei said.
The environmental and health impacts have extended beyond Indonesia’s borders. Haze from fires in Sumatra and Borneo has disrupted schools, daily activities, and flights in Malaysia and Singapore. In response, Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir confirmed on October 16 that President Prabowo Subianto had approved the acceptance of foreign assistance. The government is currently evaluating how this support will be deployed.
Authorities are preparing for potential hydrometeorological disasters. As the rainy season approaches, the BNPB is monitoring for flood and landslide risks in areas where fire damage has compromised the landscape. According to the Class II Mopah Merauke Meteorological Station, the rainy season in Southern Papua is expected to commence between the third dekad of November and the first dekad of December 2026.
Looking toward long-term policy, the government is evaluating financial and operational incentives for villages that successfully prevent fires. These efforts are designed to consolidate recovery ahead of projected strong El Niño patterns anticipated in 2029 or 2030.
