Disaster

Kalimantan Wildfire Smoke Reaches Jakarta, BMKG Confirms

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 18, 2026•3 min read

BMKG confirmed Kalimantan wildfire smoke in upper skies of Jakarta, Banten, and West Java via satellite as experts explain the cause amid unhealthy air levels.

Key Facts

BMKG mendeteksi asap karhutla dari Kalimantan di lapisan atmosfer atas Jakarta, Banten, dan Jawa Barat melalui citra satelit Himawari (data per 16/10/2026 pukul 16.00 WIB); dikonfirmasi Sekretaris Utama BMKG Guswanto pada Jumat (16/10).
Pergerakan asap dipicu perbedaan arah angin di tiap lapisan atmosfer: lapisan bawah bertiup dari timur-tenggara ke barat-barat laut, sedangkan lapisan menengah hingga atas dari timur laut ke barat daya.
Anggota Ikatan Ahli Kebencanaan Indonesia (IABI) Daryono menjelaskan angin timuran memang dominan di musim kemarau, tetapi arahnya bisa berbeda menurut lokasi, ketinggian, waktu, dan kondisi atmosfer.
Partikel halus PM2.5 dari karhutla dapat terangkat akibat turbulensi dan konveksi hingga ratusan atau ribuan meter, lalu terbawa mengikuti jalur transportasi atmosfer yang tak selalu searah angin permukaan.
Kualitas udara Jakarta tercatat tidak sehat: IQAir menunjukkan angka 153 pada pukul 17.00 WIB dan konsentrasi PM2.5 di Kemayoran mencapai 68,6 mikrogram per meter kubik pada Sabtu (17/10).
BMKG menegaskan deteksi satelit belum cukup memastikan peningkatan polutan di permukaan; pemantauan lanjutan diperlukan. Wagub Jakarta Rano Karno mengimbau warga memakai masker dan membatasi aktivitas luar ruangan.

BMKG Confirms Kalimantan Smoke Enters Jakarta Atmosphere

Smoke from forest and land fires (karhutla) from Kalimantan was detected reaching the upper atmospheric layers of Jakarta, Banten, and West Java. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) identified the dispersion through Himawari satellite imagery based on data as of October 16, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB).

BMKG Principal Secretary Guswanto confirmed on Friday (10/16) that smoke particles were still observed in the upper atmosphere. “Looking at the map, the smoke originates from Kalimantan. The smoke is still in the upper layer of the atmosphere,” Guswanto said.

BMKG explained that the movement of smoke was influenced by wind direction and speed across various atmospheric layers. Satellite imagery analysis showed that the smoke dispersion also covered Sumatra, parts of Sulawesi, Banten, Jakarta (DKI Jakarta), and West Java.

Scientific Explanation: Why Did the Smoke Travel So Far?

Indonesian Disaster Experts Association (IABI) member Daryono explained that atmospheric conditions cause the direction and trajectory of smoke movement to not always follow surface winds. Easterly winds are indeed the dominant circulation pattern during the dry season, but their direction can vary depending on location, altitude, time, and atmospheric conditions.

“Therefore, wind direction in Kalimantan is not necessarily the same as in the Java Sea or Jakarta,” Daryono said on Saturday (10/17/2026). Differences in wind direction also occur because smoke can move across different atmospheric layers.

According to Daryono, fine PM2.5 particles from forest and land fires can be lifted by turbulence and convection up to hundreds or thousands of meters. At certain altitudes, wind direction is not always the same as surface air movement, causing smoke to be carried along atmospheric transport pathways invisible from below.

Jakarta Air Unhealthy, Residents Urged to Wear Masks

Amid the smoke dispersion, Jakarta's air quality was recorded worsening. IQAir data at 5:00 p.m. WIB showed an index of 153 with PM2.5 concentrations, falling into the unhealthy category and posing risks to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, and children.

BMKG recorded PM2.5 particulate concentrations in Kemayoran, Jakarta, reaching 68.6 micrograms per cubic meter on Saturday (10/17), which was also in the unhealthy category. Nevertheless, Guswanto emphasized that further monitoring is still required to confirm the connection between atmospheric smoke dispersion and surface air quality conditions.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno urged residents not to panic, to wear masks during outdoor activities, and to reduce outdoor activities. BMKG recommended the use of KN95, KF94, or N95 masks as a precautionary measure.