Key facts
- A fire has been burning at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Indonesia for over a week.
- The blaze has spread across more than 15 hectares, blanketing the area in toxic smoke.
- Hundreds of residents have been displaced and hundreds more are suffering from respiratory illnesses.
- Firefighting efforts are ongoing, with hopes of extinguishing the fire by the end of the week.
- Environmental activists attribute the fire to systemic negligence and poor waste management.
A significant fire has been raging for over a week at the Jatiwaringin landfill on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, blanketing the surrounding areas in thick, toxic smoke and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate. The blaze, which began on June 30, has spread across more than 15 hectares of accumulated rubbish.
Health authorities have reported a substantial increase in respiratory illnesses, with at least 234 residents examined and 72 diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections. Local residents described the smoke as so dense it was difficult to see and caused stinging eyes, coughing, and breathing difficulties, prompting many to seek refuge in temporary shelters.
Firefighting efforts are underway, involving helicopters, water tankers, bulldozers, and drones. However, officials note that the fire is smouldering within the heaped rubbish, requiring specialized handling. While the exact cause has not been confirmed, environmental activists from the NGO Walhi suggest that a buildup of methane gas from decomposing organic waste, exacerbated by an unregulated open dumping system, is the likely trigger. They describe the situation as an "ecological disaster resulting from systemic negligence."
Walhi points out that the Jatiwaringin landfill is receiving more waste than it was designed to handle, with much of the excess waste being dumped in unregulated open sites. This accumulation, combined with heat waves and the climate crisis, can create conditions ripe for ignition. Similar landfill fires occurred across Indonesia in 2023.
An investigation into the cause of the current fire will be conducted after the blaze is extinguished. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry plans to evaluate 390 landfills nationwide and has previously issued administrative sanctions for poor management at Jatiwaringin. They have instructed local governments to implement controlled landfill systems to minimize fire risks and improve environmental conditions.