Disaster

BMKG: Smoke from Kalimantan Forest and Land Fires Enters Jakarta's…

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 16, 2026•4 min read

BMKG has confirmed that smoke from forest and land fires in Kalimantan has entered the atmosphere over Jakarta, Banten, and West Java on October 16, 2026. The particles remain in the upper atmospheric layer and have not yet reached the surface; residents are advised to monitor PM2.5 and wear masks.

Key Facts

BMKG detected smoke from forest and land fires in Kalimantan entering the atmosphere over DKI Jakarta, Banten, and West Java on Friday (16/10/2026) through Himawari-9 satellite imagery at 10.00 WIB.
Horizontally, the smoke has already reached the Jakarta area, but vertically, the particles remain in the upper atmosphere and have not yet descended to the surface; if the wind weakens, the smoke has the potential to descend at thin concentrations.
The spread of smoke was first detected on October 16, 2026; in satellite imagery from the afternoon of October 15, smoke from forest and land fires had not yet been visible passing over the Jakarta area.
The movement of the smoke is influenced by differences in wind direction in each layer of the atmosphere: the lower layer blows from the east-southeast to the west-northwest, while the middle to upper layers blow from the northeast to the southwest.
BMKG has recorded 1,297 hotspots with a high confidence level as of 14/10/2026 (Sumatra 505, Kalimantan 346, Papua and Maluku 330), as well as the potential for transboundary haze to reach Malaysia and Singapore.
BMKG has urged residents to routinely monitor PM2.5, wear KN95/KF94/N95 masks when air quality is poor, and reduce outdoor exercise; Jakarta's air quality is also affected by local emissions such as vehicles and industry.

BMKG Detects Smoke from Kalimantan Forest and Land Fires Entering Jakarta's Atmosphere

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency of Indonesia (BMKG) has detected smoke from forest and land fires (karhutla) in Kalimantan entering the atmosphere over Jakarta, Banten, and West Java on Friday (16/10/2026). The detection was based on Himawari-9 satellite imagery released at 10:00 WIB.

Head of BMKG's Satellite Imagery Analysis and Management and Lightning Detection Team Alpon Sepriando affirmed that the smoke particles remain in the upper atmosphere. "In terms of area, it has (reached Jakarta), but vertically, it has not yet reached the surface. However, if wind conditions weaken, it could reach the surface, and it is still thin," he said when contacted for confirmation on Friday (16/10/2026).

BMKG Secretary General Guswanto said the spread of smoke over Jakarta was only detected on Friday morning. In satellite imagery from Thursday (15/10) afternoon, smoke from forest and land fires had not yet been seen passing over the capital. Besides Java, smoke was also detected in five Kalimantan provinces: West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan.

Smoke Movement Influenced by Wind Patterns Between Atmospheric Layers

According to BMKG, the movement of smoke from forest and land fires from Kalimantan across the Java Sea was triggered by differences in wind direction at each layer of the atmosphere. In the lower layer, winds blow from the east to southeast toward the west to northwest, pushing smoke from hotspots in Kalimantan toward the island of Java.

Meanwhile, in the middle to upper layers of the atmosphere, winds tend to blow from the northeast toward the southwest. In the western part of Java, the observed smoke distribution is moving toward the southeast to southwest.

BMKG emphasized that satellite imagery shows the presence of particles in the atmosphere, not direct evidence that the entire monitored area is experiencing ground-level air pollution at the same level. Direct measurements of air quality remain necessary to determine its impact on the public.

1,297 Hotspots Recorded, Smoke Also Crosses National Borders

BMKG recorded 1,297 hotspots with a high confidence level across Indonesia as of October 14, 2026. Sumatra recorded the highest number with 505 hotspots, followed by Kalimantan with 346, Papua and Maluku with 330, Sulawesi with 66, Nusa Tenggara with 38, and Java with 12.

Himawari satellite imagery on October 15 at 13.00 WIB also showed smoke across much of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. BMKG said the increased vulnerability to forest and land fires was linked to increasingly dry land in areas experiencing prolonged periods without rain.

BMKG has also detected the potential for transboundary haze: smoke from Sumatra has been detected moving toward Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, while smoke from Kalimantan is heading toward Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore.

BMKG Advisory: Monitor PM2.5, Wear Masks, Reduce Outdoor Exercise

BMKG has urged the public to regularly monitor air quality, particularly the concentration of fine particulate matter PM2.5. Residents are advised to wear KN95, KF94, or N95 masks when engaging in outdoor activities if air quality deteriorates, as these types of masks are more effective at filtering airborne particles.

For physical activity, BMKG recommends exercising indoors while air conditions are poor. "If you want to exercise, just work out at the gym—no need to run or do anything outdoors, okay," said Guswanto, Secretary General of BMKG.

BMKG also reminded that air quality in Jakarta is influenced by various local emission sources, such as motor vehicles, industrial activity, and burning. Therefore, a decline in air quality cannot be directly attributed to the spread of forest and land fire smoke without additional measurements and analysis.