The wildfires ravaging Kalimantan and Sumatra in August 2026 once again call for a national hazard. Per BBC Indonesia, more than 1,000 hotspots have been recorded surrounding Borneo Island for the whole month, the worst record ever in the country. Impacted communities and areas include both citizens in Indonesia and neighbouring countries, with recent reports of haze reaching as far as the Philippines, as well as wildlife habitats. Rising talks about Indonesia wildfire safety for tourists in recent weeks.
The Meteorology. Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) claims that this year’s wildfire main driver is an occurring climate pattern known as El Niño, common in the equatorial Pacific. About 76.5% of Indonesia, including Bali, is currently in the dry season, with varying degrees of drought. Kalimantan has been under the rising alarm since early June.
Apart from Borneo, wildfires are ravaging four provinces in South Sumatra. Out of 17 cities/municipalities in the region, only two municipalities are not affected by the fires. As of the end of August, the engulfing flames were extinguished, despite the effects of haze still being present.
With raising concerns for every impacted community, including those who planned their journey in Indonesia, extra precaution is necessary at hand. If you’re planning to visit the country in the near future, you may want to keep reading to adjust your plan and itinerary.
Wildfires in Indonesia
Often happening during the dry months of April to October, this year’s wildfires are deemed the worst since the last two El Niño cycles that also brought prolonged drought to the archipelago. You can imagine how wildfires may reach their peak in the month of August.
Apart from the nature of its climate, Borneo’s peatlands contribute to why wildfires occur almost every year. Once ablaze, they are extremely difficult to put out. Forestry experts say that fires in peatlands can persist beneath the surface once they have penetrated the peat layer and left unburned material behind. These embers have the potential to reignite fires, especially when it hasn’t rained and the peat remains dry, making it an effective fuel for sustained fires.
That said, it is worth noting that those situations are external factors exacerbating the fires. Some independent information resources indicate that human and corporate activities involving land clearing by burning still occur frequently, making them the primary cause of forest fires.
Holidays in a tropical country: Learn about your destination
Understandably, the news on Kalimantan wildfires remains a concern for many. For those of you planning to visit Indonesia, deeper research into the situation may complement your Indonesia fires travel advisory.
All flights to and from Borneo are virtually suspended due to the haze. Flights disrupted by the fires include those to and from Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, Pontianak, Sampit, and Singkawang airports. Updates on the latest flight schedules and airport openings are yet to be released by the time this article is published.
Officials have also temporarily shut popular tourist destinations, with civil society organizations handling evacuations for affected wildlife in the region.
If you’re visiting unaffected areas and other destinations, including Jakarta, you may also find real-time air quality tools especially useful. You can monitor the weather and air quality in real time using essential apps and tools like IQAir, AirVisual, or local BMKG alerts through their official social media platforms. While doing outdoor activities, you may want to equip yourself with protective gear such as N95/KN95 masks.
For high-risk travelers, including seniors, parents with children, and people with asthma, please ensure you bring your personal medications. Locate hospitals, local authorities, and your embassies near your hotels and lodgings in case of emergency. Visit your hotel’s page to see if they provide inclusive care for you and your loved ones, such as wheelchair friendly access, proximity to hospitals, or even in-house doctors.
Indonesia wildfire safety for tourists: Invest in your travel plan
Preparing for a safe and comfortable travel experience is just as important as creating a memorable one. Visiting beautiful places with a relatively high risk of natural disasters will give you much greater peace of mind if you’ve invested the necessary resources to ensure your trip is safe from the moment you arrive until you return home.
Given that natural disasters may occur in your destination, finding the right travel insurance is one way to prepare for and deal with emergencies. Coverage may apply if a natural disaster, such as a flood, typhoon, or hurricane, occurs at your destination and meets the policy’s criteria for trip disruption. If the event is unforeseen at the time of policy purchase and occurs within thirty days before your departure, trip cancellation may be covered if it prevents your travel to the destination
If a natural disaster occurs during your trip, and it prevents you from continuing as planned, you may be able to claim for unused travel bookings and reasonable additional expenses to return home or reroute. Covered events typically include floods, typhoons, hurricanes, windstorms, and similar large-scale disasters.
You may also want to check if your insurance applies a “Cancel For Any Reason” clause or covers disruptions due to natural disasters, especially those common in Indonesia such as floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires.
Spend more time preparing for safe travel
With today’s rapid advances in technology, natural disasters can be anticipated with credible information and reliable data. Everyone has a role to play in preparing for these events, including staying informed about wildfire safety for tourists in Indonesia. After all, a pleasant trip allows you to return home safely.
