July 10, 2026
JAKARTA – Ten days after a massive fire broke out at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Tangerang regency, Banten, dozens of residents are reported to be still living in shelters as toxic fumes from burning waste continue to shroud nearby settlements.
Authorities resumed the firefighting operation at the 33-hectare landfill on Thursday, with fires in more than 8 ha of the landfill having been contained, leaving only 4 ha still ablaze.
Some 50 water trucks and three water-bombing helicopters were deployed on Thursday, according to the Tangerang Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD). Nearly 2 million liters of water, equal to 365 tanks, have been disbursed throughout the operation at Jatiwaringin.
Located in Buaran Jati village in Tangerang regency, the landfill directly borders dozens of settlements. Hundreds of people were forced to flee their homes when the fire started on June 30.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Tangerang BPBD recorded a total of 331 people suffering from acute respiratory infections due to intense contact with the toxic fumes. The figure was double the number reported last week during the first few days of the fire.
The disaster agency also reported 232 residents, including 86 children, were still living in a temporary shelter in the neighboring village of Tanjakan Mekar, as of Wednesday evening.
The Tangerang Police have cordoned off seven entry points to the landfill after strong winds intensified the toxic fumes and temporarily hindered firefighting efforts.
“Aside from assisting firefighting operations on the site, police officers are also stationed around evacuation shelters, as well as patrolling around the evacuated homes,” Tangerang Police chief Sr. Comr. Indra Waspada said on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara.
Authorities have attributed the blaze to prolonged high temperatures that ignited methane gas generated by decades of decomposing waste. Investigators from the National Police and the Environment Ministry are also examining reports of small-scale open burning at the dumpsite prior to the incident.
The Jatiwaringin landfill has operated as an open dumping site since 1993, receiving between 400,000 and 900,000 tonnes of waste every year. In an open dumping site, waste is piled and disposed of in a way that is not environmentally friendly. Such an approach heightens the risk of fires, avalanches and other hazards.
The Tangerang regency administration has declared an emergency disaster response status until July 14 to optimize firefighting operations.
The blaze in Tangerang has revived concerns over poor waste governance in Indonesia, with the country heavily relying on more than 300 open dumping sites. The incident has put regional administrations on alert for similar outbreaks during the dry season, especially as it is projected to be longer and drier this year driven by the El Niño climate phenomenon.
Several government institutions have issued warnings for local authorities to be on alert for potential fires at landfills.
The Environment Ministry has issued a circular instructing regional administrations to strengthen preparedness and emergency measures against landfill fires, while the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has urged regional authorities to request assistance from the central government if local resources run short.
The national disaster agency recorded a total of 46 landfill fires occurring during El Niño in 2023, mostly located in Java.
On July 4, fire also tore through a section of Pakusari landfill in Jember, East Java. The fire was reportedly triggered by discarded cigarette butts, according to reports from Antara. Four water trucks were deployed to extinguish the fire.