Jakarta, ThedailyID — Thick wildfire smoke has turned the skies yellow in Kotawaringin Barat, Central Kalimantan. Residents have reported breathing difficulties and eye irritation as air quality deteriorates.
According to the local Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), PM2.5 measurements indicate that air quality has reached a very hazardous category. These fine particles can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and pose health risks.
Afif Rowina Khairim, an officer at BMKG Kotawaringin Barat, confirmed the findings on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. He said the readings matched the increasingly thick smoke from forest and land fires.
Local residents have also reported worsening conditions. Samsul Hadi, who lives in Kampung Baru, said the haze was more severe than in previous days. He experienced shortness of breath and eye irritation.
“Previous days were already bad, but today is the worst. I have difficulty breathing, and my eyes hurt. The smoke is no longer white, but yellow,” Samsul said.
Meanwhile, another resident, Rohmat, reported seeing yellowish smoke covering roads in Pasir Panjang. The haze has disrupted travel and raised concerns about its potential health effects.
Despite the worsening conditions, Central Kalimantan Governor Agustiar Sabran said the fires did not yet warrant a national disaster designation. He stressed that authorities must meet specific requirements before granting such a status.
Agustiar said authorities had recorded nearly 6,000 fire incidents across the province. The fires have reportedly burned more than 18,000 hectares of land.
He added that the impact extends beyond the environment. Residents face disruptions to work, economic activities, and public health, including cases of acute respiratory infections (ARI).
However, the governor noted that only the central government can determine whether the fires qualify as a national disaster. The decision must follow applicable rules and consider conditions across affected areas.
To protect residents, the provincial government has opened oxygen houses for people who need respiratory support. The facilities form part of its response to the worsening haze.
At the national level, President Prabowo Subianto chaired a limited meeting on wildfire management on Monday night, October 12. The meeting took place in a hybrid format from the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
According to the Cabinet Secretariat, around 639 hectares of land across six heavily affected provinces were still undergoing firefighting operations. The government has focused its main efforts on Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra.
More than 60,177 joint personnel have supported ground operations. The reported daily extinguishing success rate has exceeded 80% of the area newly affected by fires. In addition, aerial water-bombing operations continue in several locations.
Conditions have improved in Riau, West Kalimantan, Jambi, and South Kalimantan. Meanwhile, authorities are optimizing weather modification operations to take advantage of rain-bearing clouds. The rainy season is also expected to spread across more areas from mid to late October 2026.
The Cabinet Secretariat said Prabowo had instructed officials to strengthen firefighting efforts and deploy available resources effectively. The goal is to accelerate suppression and prevent the fires from spreading further.
