West Sumatra Hit by Haze From Forest Fires in Neighboring Provinces

August 25, 2026 | 07:31 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's West Sumatra Provincial Government has reported that several areas located along the provincial border are being affected by smoke from forest and land fires occurring in neighboring provinces.

"A number of regencies and cities in West Sumatra are experiencing haze due to smoke drifting in from neighboring provinces," said Tasliatul Fuaddi, Head of the West Sumatra Environmental Agency (DLH), in Padang on Monday, August 24, 2026.

He identified the affected areas as the regencies of Pesisir Selatan, Dharmasraya, Sijunjung, and Lima Puluh Kota, as well as parts of Tanah Datar and Solok.

Consequently, visibility in these areas has dropped compared to normal conditions, and air quality has also been impacted.

Although the Air Pollutant Standard Index (ISPU) readings as of August 23 remain in the "good" to "moderate" range, the public is still advised to wear masks while engaging in activities.

"Wear masks and reduce outdoor activities to protect your health; we are awaiting the results of the firefighting efforts currently being carried out by the government's joint team," he said.

He explained that the smoke entering West Sumatra originated from neighboring provinces—such as Jambi, Riau, and South Sumatra—rather than from within West Sumatra itself. This conclusion is based on the fact that the number of hotspots in West Sumatra dropped drastically between August 14 and 23 compared to the August 1–13 period.

During the August 1–13 period, 232 hotspots were recorded, whereas from August 14 to 23, the number fell by more than fifty percent to 103 hotspots.

"Hotspots within West Sumatra have decreased, yet haze persists in areas bordering neighboring provinces," Tasliatul Fuaddi stated.

Data from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry's Sipongi monitoring system for the August 14–23 period shows 1,281 hotspots in Jambi, 1,433 in Riau, and 4,975 in South Sumatra. Meanwhile, the figures for Bengkulu and North Sumatra provinces were observed to be low, at 154 and 214 points, respectively.

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