JAKARTA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia recorded more than 5,000 wildfire hotspots as of mid-July 2026, with the cumulative increase outpacing previous El Nino years, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said Thursday.
Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan, the agency's deputy for climatology, said the number of hotspots recorded since January had risen faster than during the El Nino events of 2015, 2019 and 2023.
West Kalimantan, South Papua and Riau provinces recorded the highest concentrations of hotspots.
The agency forecast that wildfire risks would peak in August and September as dry conditions intensify, particularly in Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Papua provinces.
"Stronger monitoring and field surveillance in these areas are crucial to prevent hotspots from escalating and causing wider environmental damage," he said.
The agency forecast that El Nino would persist and could strengthen beyond the strong category, with the phenomenon expected to peak between December 2026 and January 2027. ■
