Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said on the
16th that smoke from wildfires on Kalimantan has reached the airspace over
Jakarta but has not descended to ground level. Satellite imagery shows haze
spreading over Banten province, Jakarta and parts of West Java, currently
lingering about 2–3 km above the surface; satellite data alone cannot confirm a
rise in near-surface air pollution in Jakarta. Several areas have registered
hazardous air quality. Indonesia's Health Ministry said on the 14th that
respiratory infections linked to the haze have surged in recent weeks, with more
than 280,000 cases reported through the 13th. The government warned the fires
that began in July are likely to continue through November under a strong El
Nifio.
