BNPB Extends Firefighting Operations at Jatiwaringin Landfill into the Night

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is optimising firefighting operations at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Tangerang Regency, Banten, by extending the working hours of ground task forces until 10 p.m. WIB. Djohan Darmawan, Director of Emergency Operations Control at BNPB, explained that tackling the blaze requires special handling due to the characteristics of the waste material, which resembles peatland, with embers hidden beneath the surface. “Starting today, ground operations will be optimised until 10 p.m. WIB. Fire brigade and Manggala Agni teams will use an injection system with machines to pump water into the waste piles,” Djohan stated in Jakarta on Tuesday. He detailed that the subsurface injection method is combined with surface spraying by ground crews, while aerial task forces conduct water bombing to extinguish the flames thoroughly. The water supply for both ground and aerial operations has been significantly aided by a nearby lake or retention basin, which facilitates helicopters in refilling large buckets and speeds up water distribution to fire hoses on the ground. The tactical operation divides the firefighting area within the Jatiwaringin landfill into three main sectors—north, central, and south—to ease personnel coordination. The joint forces on the ground are reinforced by regional disaster management agencies across Greater Tangerang, the BNPB, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the National Police, the Manggala Agni task force from the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Environment, and volunteer disaster response teams. The operation is fully supported by heavy equipment, including 19 fire engines, four water tankers, eight excavators, and eight bulldozers to break apart material burying the embers. Djohan concluded by stating that the Jatiwaringin landfill fire should serve as a lesson for other regional governments to enhance their preparedness for the 2026 dry season.