Sampit, C Kalimantan (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned that drought conditions in Central Kalimantan’s Kotawaringin Timur District could worsen through late August as dry weather elevates fire risks.
“The forecast remains hot in the coming days, with fire danger expected to be very high through August 30,” BMKG official Mulyono Leo Nardo said on Wednesday.
The agency detected 259 hotspots in a 24-hour period on Monday, with most recorded in Mentaya Hilir Selatan, he said.
These conditions require heightened vigilance as winds could carry wildfire smoke toward Sampit, reducing visibility, particularly when blowing from the south.
Based on wind patterns, smoke across Central Kalimantan is moving from the southeast toward the west, northwest, and north, Nardo noted.
Kotawaringin Timur remains in a dry period with minimal rainfall as forest and land fires persist across several areas.
BMKG data presented at a coordination meeting on August 24 showed rainfall remained severely limited, with most precipitation concentrated in northern areas.
“Tualan Hulu received light rain ranging from 0.1 to 5 millimeters over the past 24 hours, concentrated in the north, while the south remained dry,” he said.
Satellite imagery from August 23 and 24 showed relatively clear skies across Central Kalimantan, particularly Kotawaringin Timur, hindering significant rain-cloud formation.
This was reinforced by wind forecasts at 3,000 feet showing prevailing winds moving from the southeast toward the northwest and north.
A tropical cyclone disturbance to the north could also draw moisture away, potentially making East Kotawaringin drier, Nardo explained.
“The tropical cyclone disturbance in the north could draw away moisture, causing conditions here to become increasingly dry,” he said.
BMKG assesses fire risk using the Fine Fuel Moisture Code, which measures how easily surface fuels ignite.
From August 24 to 30, the ignition potential for surface fuels at depths of one to two centimeters was classified as very high.
Similar conditions are emerging deeper in the soil at depths of two to five centimeters as rainfall remains insufficient.
“Once a fire starts, it can spread rapidly,” Nardo said.
At depths of 10 centimeters or more, fire risk in southern East Kotawaringin is expected to remain very high through August.
These conditions show drought is affecting both surface fuels and deeper soil layers, allowing fires to persist and spread.
BMKG forecast limited rain-cloud growth opportunities on August 24 and 25, mainly in northern Kotawaringin Timur, with a 50 percent to 70 percent chance.
However, the likelihood of rain-cloud formation is expected to drop sharply from August 25 through 30, becoming negligible.
“Our weather forecast for the next week remains hot,” Nardo said.
BMKG urged residents and local authorities to increase vigilance against forest and land fires, particularly in high-risk zones.
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Translator: M.Arif H, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Arie Novarina
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