Disaster

33,425 Wildfire Hotspots Detected in October, OKI Recorded Highest

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 18, 2026•4 min read

Between Oct 1–16, 2026, 33,425 wildfire hotspots were detected across Indonesia. OKI recorded the highest count as haze forced remote learning and burned 673 ha.

Key Facts

Jumlah titik panas (hotspot) karhutla yang terdeteksi pada 1–16 Oktober 2026 mencapai 33.425 titik, melampaui total September 2026; Kabupaten Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI), Sumatera Selatan, menjadi wilayah dengan sebaran terbanyak.
BMKG mencatat 478 titik panas berkepercayaan tinggi pada 16 Oktober 2026 (00.00–23.59 WIB); Sumatera Selatan terbanyak dengan 189 titik, disusul Jawa Timur 89 titik dan Papua Selatan 63 titik.
Data SiPongi Kementerian Kehutanan per 15 Oktober 2026 pukul 21.00 WIB menunjukkan 799 hotspot nasional berkepercayaan tinggi, melonjak 427 titik dari sehari sebelumnya; Kalimantan Tengah tertinggi dengan 389 titik.
Kebakaran di Taman Nasional Way Kambas, Lampung Timur, meluas hingga 673,4 hektare; asapnya memaksa sejumlah sekolah di Lampung Tengah beralih ke pembelajaran daring.
Pemerintah Kota Banda Aceh menerapkan pembelajaran jarak jauh bagi PAUD/TK, SD, dan SMP mulai 17 Oktober 2026 serta menyiapkan opsi WFH bagi ASN menyusul memburuknya kualitas udara.
Kepala Staf Kepresidenan Listyo Sigit menyebut Presiden memerintahkan TNI, Polri, pemerintah daerah, dan Manggala Agni bekerja sama; 61 armada udara disiagakan untuk patroli dan water bombing.

33,425 Hotspots Recorded in First 16 Days of October 2026

The number of forest and land fire (karhutla) hotspots in October 2026 has surpassed the total recorded throughout September 2026. In the first 16 days of the month, 33,425 hotspots were detected across various regions of Indonesia, with Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra, registering the highest concentration.

Data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) indicates an alarming trend. On October 16, 2026, BMKG recorded 478 high-confidence hotspots. South Sumatra had the highest number with 189 points, followed by East Java with 89 points and South Papua with 63 points. BMKG Acting Deputy for Meteorology Andri Ramdhani stated that smoke dispersion remains visible across most of Sumatra, Kalimantan, central-southern Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, while dry conditions are expected to persist from October 17 to 24, 2026.

OKI and South Sumatra Become the Hottest Spots

South Sumatra consistently recorded the highest number of hotspots among all provinces. SiPongi data from the Ministry of Forestry, cited by the South Sumatra Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), recorded 3,059 hotspots across 15 regencies and cities on October 2, 2026—the highest daily record in 2026—with 2,062 located on peatlands. OKI Regency accounted for 1,899 of these points.

On October 12, hotspots in South Sumatra spiked again to 1,917 points, dominated by OKI with 1,271 points, the majority situated on peatland. Head of Emergency Handling at South Sumatra BPBD Sudirman confirmed that ground and air task forces continue operations focused on OKI, Ogan Ilir, Muara Enim, and Musi Banyuasin. Nationally, SiPongi logged 799 high-confidence hotspots on October 15, with Central Kalimantan recording the highest (389 points).

Widespread Impact: Online Schooling to Hundreds of Hectares Burned

The Banda Aceh City Government implemented distance learning for public and private early childhood/kindergarten (PAUD/TK), elementary (SD), junior high (SMP), non-formal education units (SPNF), and community learning centers (PKBM) starting October 17, 2026, based on Education and Culture Office (Disdikbud) Circular Letter Number 421.7/A4/4861/2026. All community health centers (puskesmas) were placed on 24-hour standby. Mayor Illiza Sa'aduddin Djamal also prepared work-from-home (WFH) options for civil servants (ASN) should air quality worsen; on October 16, Banda Aceh's air quality indicator rose from 63 to 131.

In Lampung, the fire in Way Kambas National Park spread to 673.4 hectares. The resulting smoke caused respiratory difficulties for residents and forced several schools across two districts in Central Lampung to transition to online learning. Difficult terrain forced personnel to extinguish fires manually with support from a joint team comprising the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), Indonesian National Police (Polri), Forest Police (Polhut), and volunteers.

Government Deploys Ground and Air Task Forces

Presidential Chief of Staff Listyo Sigit stated that the President directed the TNI, Polri, regional governments, and Manggala Agni (forest fire control brigade) to collaborate, including establishing ground and air task forces. The Ministry of Forestry put 61 aircraft on standby: 17 units for patrols and Weather Modification Operations, and 44 units for water bombing.

The public is urged not to clear land by burning and to immediately report any detected fires. The government is also pushing to strengthen the Peatland Restoration Agency to enhance flexibility in preventing future forest and land fires.