Indonesia Haze: Jambi Air Quality 'Hazardous', Respiratory Cases Top 12,000

Smoke from forest and land fires (karhutla) in Sumatra has turned air quality in Jambi province, Indonesia, into a public-health emergency. Indonesia's Ministry of Environment's Air Pollution Standard Index (ISPU) classified Jambi City, Muaro Jambi and Tebo as being in the "dangerous" category on October 10, 2026, according to a photo report by detikNews, which described smoke over the city's Makalam Bridge area as having grown denser over the preceding weeks.

Pollution levels and visibility

Two days earlier, on October 8, Indonesia's meteorological agency BMKG recorded PM2.5 particulate concentration at 537.6 micrograms per cubic meter in Jambi City — more than double the 250 µg/m³ threshold used to define hazardous air, according to RRI (Radio Republik Indonesia). The same report said visibility fell as low as 500–2,000 meters through the day, dropping to 650 meters by 3:30 p.m., a level RRI said was below the threshold used for safe aviation operations. Officials urged drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists to slow down and keep extra following distance. RRI said the haze had persisted for five consecutive days by that point.

Respiratory cases rising

Jambi City's Health Department reported a sharp rise in acute respiratory infection (ISPA) cases tied to the haze, according to JambiTV. Rini Kartika, the department's head of disease prevention and control, said patient numbers climbed from 10,151 on October 3 to 12,000 by October 7, spanning all age groups, with adults making up the largest share. She said community health centers were told to prepare for continued demand and that mask use was being encouraged.

Jambi province's wider health office had earlier reported weekly ISPA totals of 7,824 cases in week 36, 7,236 in the following week, and 5,803 in week 38 (September 20–26), per JambiTV's account of provincial data — figures that measure new weekly cases rather than the cumulative city total.

Fire activity and flight disruptions

Indonesia's fire task force recorded 144 hotspots in Jambi on October 6, down from 199 the previous day, Antara News reported. From January 1 to October 6, 2026, burned land in the province totaled 4,267.51 hectares, with Batanghari district worst affected at 1,306.81 hectares, followed by Tanjung Jabung Barat and Tanjung Jabung Timur. Senior Commissioner Erlan Munaji, a Jambi police spokesperson, said authorities had opened 90 legal cases — 71 investigations and 19 prosecutions involving 18 suspects — by that date.

Nationally, the Forestry Ministry counted 387 hotspots across six priority fire provinces (Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan) as of the night of October 9, a 67% drop from 1,176 the day before, according to a report in The Star citing Indonesian authorities. RRI reported that officials warned reduced visibility near Jambi's Sultan Thaha Airport could lead to flight delays or diversions if conditions persisted.

Haze crosses borders

The smoke has drifted beyond Indonesia, affecting air quality in Malaysia and Singapore, The Star reported. Malaysia ordered schools closed on October 9 in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and the Rompin district of Pahang because of haze conditions. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim contacted Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto directly and instructed his foreign minister to coordinate with ASEAN environment ministers, according to the same report.

Public frustration and a lawsuit

Hundreds of students and residents protested in Jambi on October 8, calling for stronger government action on the fires, The Star reported. In West Kalimantan, four plaintiffs filed a class-action lawsuit against President Prabowo and nine other officials, seeking stronger fire prevention, environmental restoration and health protection for affected communities, according to the same report.

Indonesian authorities said ground and aerial firefighting operations were continuing in the affected provinces, alongside the legal cases already opened against suspected fire-starters in Jambi.