8-Hour Battle by Joint Team to Extinguish Forest and Land Fires in Mamuju's Rugged Terrain

Joint teams in Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi, struggled for eight hours navigating rugged terrain to extinguish forest and land fires (Karhutla) sparked by prolonged drought. The firefighting operation unfolded dramatically from Thursday (28/5) evening until Friday (29/5) early morning.

Residents reported the initial fire in Dusun Lambagu, Sumare Village, around 6:00 PM WITA. Due to extremely dry vegetation, the flames spread rapidly, engulfing several hectares of land within minutes.

The West Sulawesi Provincial Fire Department’s Team 2 faced severe challenges upon arrival. The main fire point was one kilometre from the nearest vehicle access, forcing personnel from Mamuju Fire Department, BPBD, Balai Darkarhut, and local residents to carry firefighting equipment on foot through hills in darkness.

Intensive efforts to contain the fire were made under strong dry winds. After strenuous efforts, the fire was fully extinguished by 2:00 AM on Friday. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

Head of the Fire Fighting and Rescue Department, Andi Juandi, stressed that the public must not burn land in any form during the dry season. ‘If you notice signs of fire, report it immediately to the authorities,’ he said.

In line with this, Head of the West Sulawesi Provincial Civil Police and Fire Department, Aksan Amrullah, urged residents to actively prevent potential forest and land fires in their communities to protect ecosystem sustainability.

The Provincial Fire Department’s Team 2 has been withdrawn to the main base after confirming that Sumare Village was completely free from smouldering embers.