Indonesia battles fourth day of massive landfill fire as emergency declared near Jakarta

A major fire at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Mauk District, Tangerang Regency, Banten Province, entered its fourth day on Friday, with firefighters continuing efforts to extinguish hotspots across a large section of the waste disposal site.

Authorities said the blaze, which began on 30 June, has affected more than 15 hectares of the 33-hectare landfill and prompted the deployment of hundreds of personnel, dozens of fire engines, heavy equipment and water-bombing helicopters.

"The fire is still being extinguished because there are still several hotspots, but it is not as severe as yesterday," an officer from the Tangerang Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and Fire Department Operations Control Centre said on Friday.

Officials reported that the number of active hotspots had declined following overnight firefighting operations and the deployment of two helicopters conducting water-bombing missions. Joint teams remained at the site to prevent the fire from spreading further.

"There has been progress compared to previous days because the fire spread across a very large area. It is quite difficult because the waste piles are high while the heat remains trapped inside, so the process takes a long time," the officer said.

Around 11 to 12 fire engines were deployed on Friday, while helicopters continued to support ground operations.

Emergency status declared

The Tangerang Regency Government has declared an emergency response status for the landfill fire through Regent Decree No. 609 of 2026. The emergency period runs from 1 to 14 July.

According to a preliminary assessment by the local fire department's operations centre as of 2 July, the fire has affected 30 households comprising 57 people.

Authorities have established an emergency shelter at the Tanjakan Mekar Village Office for residents impacted by the incident.

Tangerang Regency Disaster Management Agency head Achmad Taufik said the emergency declaration had enabled a larger-scale response involving multiple agencies.

"The emergency status has been declared and the Regent's decree has been issued. As of today, two water-bombing helicopters have been deployed at the site for firefighting operations," Taufik said.

The agency has deployed 12 fire engines, while Tangerang City authorities have provided three additional units. A total of 70 personnel have been assigned to firefighting operations.

"We have deployed a total of 70 personnel to the site. Firefighting operations are being carried out using fire engines and suction pumps. Our fire engines have been positioned to prevent the fire from spreading further. We are also receiving support from the National Disaster Management Agency in the form of two water-bombing helicopters," Taufik said.

Heavy machinery, including bulldozers, excavators, wheel loaders and dump trucks, has also been mobilised to assist crews in reaching hotspots buried within the landfill.

Burned area expands to 15 hectares

Tangerang Regency Environment and Sanitation Agency head Ujat Sudrajat said the burned area had expanded significantly during the first three days of the fire.

"We have prepared emergency land as instructed by the Regent. Waste collection services remain normal. Today the burned area has reached 15 hectares out of the landfill's total area of 33 hectares," Ujat said on 2 July.

Despite the fire, local authorities said municipal waste collection services throughout the regency have continued without disruption.

The Jatiwaringin landfill receives between 1,366 and 2,700 tonnes of waste each day, making it one of the key waste disposal facilities serving the densely populated Tangerang area on the western outskirts of Jakarta.

WALHI warns of broader waste management crisis

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) said the fire should not be viewed as an isolated incident, describing it as part of a wider pattern of waste-management failures across Indonesia.

According to WALHI, the fire spread across more than 15 hectares between 30 June and 2 July and contributed to at least 154 reported cases of acute respiratory infections.

The environmental organisation said Jatiwaringin receives approximately 1,366 to 2,700 tonnes of waste daily, equivalent to between 498,590 and 985,500 tonnes annually. It noted that this volume represents only around 59 per cent of the total waste generated in Tangerang Regency.

Wahyu Eka Styawan, WALHI National's Urban Justice Campaigner, said the fire was linked to longstanding issues in landfill management.

He said the incident followed a series of waste-related emergencies in other regions, including the closure of the Cipeucang landfill in South Tangerang and landslides at the Cipayung and Bantargebang landfill sites.

According to Wahyu, the fire was triggered by methane gas produced through the decomposition of organic waste under an open-dumping system.

"The situation once again demonstrates the failure of both central and regional governments to fulfil the mandate of Law No. 18 of 2008, which required the cessation of open-dumping practices by 2013," he said.

"As long as methane continues to be produced in open-dumping systems and organic waste continues to accumulate alongside other waste, fires like this are not merely possible—they are inevitable."

WALHI also said firefighting efforts focused on water spraying and water-bombing operations do not address the underlying cause of landfill fires because water cannot easily reach the heat sources beneath large accumulations of waste.

The organisation said covering waste piles with soil to restrict oxygen flow and reduce methane emissions would be a more effective firefighting method, although it stressed that broader reforms to waste management systems would still be required.

Previous landfill fires

WALHI noted that several major landfill fires occurred across Indonesia during 2023, including incidents at the Sarimukti landfill in Bandung Regency, the Rawa Kucing landfill in Tangerang City and the Suwung landfill in Denpasar.

According to the organisation, those incidents affected more than 13,000 residents, with many forced to evacuate and others suffering respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to smoke.

WALHI said the Jatiwaringin fire should serve as a warning that landfill sites will continue to pose environmental and public health risks unless waste reduction, waste separation and organic waste processing measures are strengthened.

"The fire at the Jatiwaringin landfill is a reminder that unless the root causes are addressed upstream, the country will continue to face the same disasters, and residents will continue to bear the consequences," Wahyu said.

Firefighters remained at the site on Friday as efforts continued to extinguish remaining hotspots and prevent further spread of the blaze.