Emergency status issued to strengthen response to Jatiwaringin landfill fire in Banten.
The Tangerang Regency Government has declared an emergency status over the fire at the Jatiwaringin Landfill (TPA Jatiwaringin) in Mauk District, Banten, with the emergency period set to remain in effect from July 1 through July 14, 2026, as authorities intensify efforts to contain the blaze.
Tangerang Regent Moch. Maesyal Rasyid said the emergency declaration is intended to optimize disaster response operations carried out by a joint task force involving multiple government agencies.
“In accordance with prevailing laws and regulations, after the Regent’s Decree on emergency status is issued, the regulation remains valid for 14 days,” Maesyal said in Tangerang on Sunday.
He noted that if disaster response efforts progress faster than expected and conditions improve during the emergency period, the status may be adjusted based on developments in the field.
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Joint Firefighting Operation Intensifies as Authorities Target Underground Hotspots
The Ministry of Environment said firefighting operations at the Jatiwaringin Landfill are continuing through a coordinated response involving personnel from several government agencies.
Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Faisal Malik Hendropriyono said authorities have deployed thermal drones equipped with infrared cameras to identify the fire’s source and detect hidden hotspots across the landfill.
The ministry has also mobilized two Mobile Monitoring System units to continuously monitor air quality around the fire site as emergency operations continue.
Manggala Agni Team Uses Specialized Equipment to Extinguish Fire Beneath Waste Piles
To strengthen suppression efforts, the Ministry of Forestry has deployed 30 members of the Manggala Agni wildfire response team from Sulawesi and West Java.
According to Diaz, the firefighters are equipped with specialized high-pressure equipment designed to extinguish fires burning beneath the surface of accumulated waste.
He explained that simply spraying water over the landfill is insufficient because combustion continues underneath the layers of garbage.
“Fire suppression will be more effective if the waste is not only watered from above. The fire continues underneath, so we need assistance from Manggala Agni to inject water directly into the underground hotspots,” he said.
BNPB and BMKG Prepare Weather Modification Technology to Speed Up Fire Control
The Indonesian government is also preparing Weather Modification Technology (Teknologi Modifikasi Cuaca/TMC) to help accelerate efforts to contain the landfill fire.
The operation is being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
Authorities said the operation is intended to help bring the emergency under control after the fire spread across an estimated 15 hectares.
“There is a possibility that Weather Modification Technology operations can be carried out tomorrow. We will conduct the operation together with BNPB and BMKG,” Diaz said.
During the emergency response period ending on July 14, authorities are combining thermal drone surveillance, underground firefighting operations, air quality monitoring and preparations for Weather Modification Technology to accelerate containment of the approximately 15-hectare fire.
The emergency declaration provides the legal framework for government agencies to coordinate resources and strengthen disaster management efforts while working to bring the Jatiwaringin Landfill fire under control.
