Wildfire near Buntok (Oct 31), Indonesia (2026)

Wildfire near Buntok (Oct 31) — Sentinel-2 true color

Wildfire near Buntok (Oct 31) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego)

True view Fire view

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True view (left): as the eye sees it.
Fire view (right): infrared (SWIR), sees through smoke and brings out the heat.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 brown = already burned
🟠 orange = fire right now

Drag to compare: normal photo on the left, heat brought out on the right.

Green: vegetationBrown: already burnedOrange: fire right nowSentinel-2 · Copernicus

The story so far

About 30 km northwest of Buntok.

Burning near Buntok in Indonesia, an active wildfire that started on October 31, 2026, is currently generating a moderate heat signature according to satellite observations. Satellites have picked up 47 heat detections in the past 48 hours, pointing to the spread of the fire across the area. Based on the number of these satellite hotspots, the size of the fire is roughly estimated at 500 hectares, which is about 1,236 acres.

This ongoing fire occurs against the backdrop of an intense broader season during the dry season. Across the country, 8,598,122 hectares have burned so far in 2026, a figure that sits 141% above the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Indonesia for 1 day. So far it has affected roughly 500 ha (1,236 acres) — about 5.0 km². That size is an estimate from satellite hotspots, not a measured area.

Close to the tropics, fires tend to follow the dry season and are often linked to land-clearing rather than a single summer peak.