Indonesia, Aug. 22 -- Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) urged stronger wildfire prevention and response measures in East Kalimantan after detecting 11,869 hotspots across the province from Aug. 1-21, 2026.

"There were 11,869 hotspots detected in East Kalimantan by BMKG during Aug. 1-21," Huda Abshor Mukhsinin, head of BMKG Balikpapan Station's data and information team, said here Saturday.

The hotspots were detected across 10 districts and cities, he said.

The figure exceeded the 9,793 hotspots detected during the same period in 2015, as El Nino conditions this year have produced drier conditions.

Mukhsinin said public education was crucial, particularly urging residents not to burn land when clearing a...