Jayapura, Jubi – Thick smoke continued to blanket Fakfak, the capital of Fakfak Regency in West Papua, on Friday (October 16), as widespread forest and land fires burned amid a prolonged dry season.
Fakfak has recorded the largest area affected by fires in West Papua, with an estimated 2,300 hectares burned across as many as 17 districts.
“We are still covered by smoke. It has started to rain a little, but the air remains damp and cold,” former Fakfak deputy regent Abraham Sopaheluwakan told Jubi by messaging app on Friday afternoon.
Sopaheluwakan, a graduate of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Papua in Manokwari, said the smoke was so dense that Panjang Island, off the coast of Fakfak, could no longer be seen.
“It has started raining, although only lightly, but even that has helped,” he said.
The smoke began covering Fakfak Regency at about 1pm Papua time on October 13 and had become increasingly dense over the past seven days, according to local reports.
On October 10, the Sorong Global Atmosphere Watch station forecast that air quality in Fakfak would reach the very unhealthy category.
Fakfak’s Health Office has established crisis teams at regency and district levels to monitor the health of residents affected by the smoke.
Police and local village administrations have also been distributing thousands of free medical masks to students and other residents on a regular basis.
Earlier, the Fakfak Regency Government said on its Instagram account that Regent Samaun Dahlan had visited a fire-affected area in Aregas, Kokas district, on October 4.
Dahlan praised the efforts and cooperation of personnel and other parties working to contain the fires. He also stressed the importance of coordination and vigilance, urging residents to help protect the environment and prevent further forest and land fires.
Fires have been reported in several locations, including the Malakuli area of Karas district, SP VII in Tomage district, Bomberay district and Aregas in Kokas district.
In Karas district, the fires reportedly destroyed nutmeg trees and other crops grown by local residents.
Data from the Forestry Ministry’s Forest and Land Fire Monitoring System (Sipongi) recorded 199 hotspots across West Papua between October 1 and 6, 2026. Of these, 76 were recorded in Fakfak Regency. (*)
