Jambi has sent two water-bombing helicopters to a 6-hectare fire in Sultan Thaha forest park after Governor Al Haris inspected the blaze on 4 September 2026.
Cover image: a helicopter dropping water on a smoky forest fire in Indonesia — photo by DenY Krisbiyantoro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Jambi helicopters are battling a 6-hectare forest park fire in Sultan Thaha Saifuddin Forest Park, Batang Hari, after Governor Al Haris inspected the blaze on Friday 4 September 2026. The province deployed two water-bombing helicopters to the site inside the 15,810-hectare park that stretches across Bajubang, Muara Bulian and Tembesi, with ground teams containing the perimeter.
The fire adds to pressure on Jambi during Indonesia's dry season, when peat and scrub fires have lifted hotspots across Sumatra and Kalimantan. Jambi is operating four water-bombing helicopters in total, and the governor said a third machine will be sent to the park once maintenance is complete. Law enforcement has been asked to look into whether the burn was started deliberately.
Where did the fire break out in Jambi?
The blaze is inside Sultan Thaha Saifuddin Forest Park, one of 22 forest parks in Indonesia and a protected block in Batang Hari District. ANTARA reported on 4 September 2026 at 20:57 GMT+7 that six hectares had burned, with smoke visible over surrounding subdistricts. The park is surrounded by farmland and settlements, which raises the risk of spread and public-health impacts from smoke.
Forest parks like this one are conservation and tourism sites as well as buffers for villages. Even a six-hectare burn can close trails, degrade habitat and push smoke toward Jambi City if winds shift. That is why the province moved quickly to aerial suppression rather than relying on ground crews alone.
How is Jambi fighting the fire from the air?
Governor Al Haris said Jambi has four water-bombing helicopters on call for the 2026 fire season. Two were sent directly to the forest park fire, dipping and dropping water on the active edge. He told reporters: "We are operating four water-bombing helicopters, but one is still undergoing maintenance. Once it is ready, we will deploy two here," signalling a plan to double the aerial effort at this site.
Ground teams are working the flanks to stop the fire rekindling in peat and leaf litter. The combined air-ground approach is standard for Indonesian forest fires in 2026, where hotspot counts have surged in West and Central Kalimantan and provinces are competing for limited helicopter hours. The province has not given a containment timeline.
Is this linked to the wider haze and cloud seeding?
Jambi is both fighting fires and trying to make it rain. Just days earlier the province and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency dispersed eight tons of salt in cloud-seeding sorties over 15 hours to trigger showers over fire-prone blocks. That was a weather-modification effort, while the current deployment is direct water bombing on an active fire.
The two operations show how Jambi is juggling tools during the September peak. Hotspots in neighbouring provinces have pushed smoke across the region, and haze has triggered a local emergency in Serian, Sarawak across the border. Keeping the Sultan Thaha fire small is part of stopping Jambi from adding to that transboundary load.
What about cause and prevention?
Governor Haris urged law enforcement to examine whether the park fire involved intentional burning, a common driver when farmers clear land in the dry months. Jambi is promoting PLTB (Pembukaan Lahan Tanpa Bakar), a no-burn land-clearing programme that offers mechanical alternatives to fire. The aim is to cut ignitions while aerial and ground crews mop up the current six hectares.
Visitors to Jambi and neighbouring parks should expect temporary trail limits near the burn and possible haze downwind. The province has not announced closures outside the fire block, but officials warned that burning peat can re-ignite and that air quality can drop quickly if winds carry smoke toward villages. For the latest park access, check local BBKSDA notices and updates on legal action against firms linked to forest fires that affect access rules.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the forest park fire in Jambi?
Inside Sultan Thaha Saifuddin Forest Park in Batang Hari District, Jambi Province. The 15,810-hectare park spans Bajubang, Muara Bulian and Tembesi. The current fire has burned six hectares.
How many helicopters does Jambi have for water bombing?
Four water-bombing helicopters are assigned to the province. Two have been deployed to this park fire, one is under maintenance, and Governor Al Haris said a second will be sent to the site once servicing is complete.
Is this the same as the Jambi cloud seeding operation?
No. Earlier in September Jambi ran cloud-seeding flights dropping eight tons of salt over 15 hours to induce rain. This is a separate water-bombing response to an active six-hectare ground fire inside the forest park.
What is being done to prevent more fires in Jambi?
The province is pushing PLTB, a no-burn land-clearing programme, and has asked law enforcement to investigate possible intentional burning. Ground teams are containing the perimeter to protect nearby communities and air quality.
