As per reports, wildfire haze is expected to continue affecting parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan on Thursday (10 September), despite a reduction in high-confidence hotspots across several priority provinces. Air quality remains unhealthy to hazardous in some areas, while authorities continue ground and aerial firefighting, weather-modification operations, health measures and distance learning.
The following are the latest situational updates:
• National situation: Satellite monitoring detected 397 high-confidence hotspots nationwide at 2110 hours WIB (local time) on Tuesday (08 September), up from 386 a day earlier. Among the six priority provinces, South Sumatra recorded 76 hotspots, Central Kalimantan 63, West Kalimantan 12, Riau eight, South Kalimantan six and Jambi three. Hotspot numbers declined in South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Riau and Jambi but increased in Central and South Kalimantan. Authorities have cautioned that hotspots indicate surface-temperature anomalies and require verification before being classified as active fires.
• Firefighting response: Fifty-three aircraft remain available across the six priority provinces, including 34 for water bombing and 19 for aerial patrol and weather-modification support. Rain generated during operations on Tuesday assisted ground teams in parts of West and Central Kalimantan. However, firefighters continue extinguishing surface fires, wetting peatlands and cooling previously affected areas because underground peat fires may remain active after surface flames have disappeared. Three Japanese CH-47 Chinook helicopters and approximately 180 personnel are expected to arrive in Pontianak on Thursday, ahead of aerial firefighting operations scheduled between Saturday and Saturday (12-19 September).
• Jambi: A weather-modification operation is scheduled to begin on Thursday, subject to the availability of suitable rain clouds, with Batang Hari among the priority areas. Approximately 678 hectares have been affected by fires across Batang Hari, including around 360 hectares in the Sultan Thaha Saifuddin Grand Forest Park. The provincial task force has increased its deployment from approximately 5,900 to 7,000 personnel. Heavy equipment is being used to establish firebreaks, while suppression continues near the Berbak National Park area. The Jambi City Health Office has recorded 3,437 acute respiratory infection cases amid deteriorating air quality.
• Education: Schools from kindergarten to junior-high level in Palembang shifted to distance learning from Wednesday until further notice, affecting more than 250,000 students across approximately 1,030 schools. Padang has introduced distance learning for kindergarten, primary and junior-high students through Friday (11 September), while senior-high schools remain open. Rokan Hulu has extended distance learning through Thursday, and online classes in Merangin are also scheduled to continue through Thursday. Pekanbaru authorities indicated that classroom teaching may resume on Thursday if air quality improves, with students expected to use masks.
• Air quality and visibility: Monitoring on Tuesday afternoon recorded visibility of approximately three kilometres in Pontianak and Jambi, four kilometres in Pekanbaru, five kilometres in Palangka Raya and Palembang, and eight kilometres in Banjarmasin. PM2.5 monitoring continued to place several locations in Sumatra and Kalimantan in the unhealthy to very unhealthy categories, with hazardous readings possible in parts of Kalimantan. Local conditions may change rapidly according to fire activity, rainfall and wind direction.
• Aviation and travel: No additional flight cancellation directly attributable to wildfire haze had been confirmed as of early Thursday. However, visibility-related delays, diversions or cancellations remain possible at Supadio International Airport and airports serving Jambi, Palembang, Pekanbaru and Palangka Raya. Morning operations may face a greater risk where overnight smoke accumulates. Travellers should distinguish haze-related disruption from separate aviation impacts associated with Anak Krakatau.
Categories: Natural Disasters - Bushfires / Forest Fires
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