Pangkalan Bun Chokes Under Sudden Thick Haze, Residents Describe 'Living Above the Clouds'

Residents of Kotawaringin Barat Regency (Kobar), Central Kalimantan, were once again enveloped in thick smog on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The air quality reached dangerous levels with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations soaring to 615.3 µg/m³ at 7:06 AM WIB. This figure, recorded by the Iskandar Pangkalan Bun Meteorological Station's PM2.5 monitoring device, far exceeds the dangerous category threshold of over 250.4 µg/m³. Ni Kadek Trisna Dewi, Forecaster on Duty at BMKG Kobar, stated that the air quality change occurred very rapidly since early morning. "This morning, the smog condition in Kotawaringin Barat and its surroundings showed a dangerous status with the highest PM2.5 concentration of 615.3 µg/m³," she said. What makes the situation more concerning is the surge happening within a matter of hours. At 3:06 AM WIB, PM2.5 was still recorded at 15.3 µg/m³ (good category). One hour later, it rose to 57.6 µg/m³ (unhealthy). By 5:06 AM, it reached 106 µg/m³ (very unhealthy), and at 6:06 AM, it jumped to 213.3 µg/m³ (very unhealthy). The peak occurred around 7:06 AM. Although it later dropped to 485.5 µg/m³ by 8:06 AM, the air quality remained in the dangerous level. "This means the thick smog covering Kobar this morning has not shown conditions safe for the public to carry out normal outdoor activities," she added. Residents directly experienced the deteriorating conditions. Rahmadi, a local resident, described the thick haze that drastically changed the morning atmosphere, reducing visibility and disrupting daily activities, as "like living above the clouds." Siti Fatimah, a civil servant in Pangkalan Bun, expressed her shock upon waking up around 5:00 AM to find the outside completely obscured by dense smoke. Visibility only began to improve slightly around 8:00 AM. The phenomenon highlights how quickly air quality can change. Authorities urge the public to increase vigilance, reduce outdoor activities, and use masks when necessary. Vulnerable groups, such as children and the elderly, require special attention due to the increased health risks associated with high concentrations of fine particulate matter.