BNPB Reports Forest and Land Fires Across Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua

The ongoing dry season has triggered forest and land fires (karhutla) across several regions in Indonesia, from Java and Sumatra to Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). In the western part of the country, a fire broke out in Gampong Lamsim/Cot Pukat, Blang Bintang District, Aceh Besar Regency, Aceh Province, on Sunday (9/8/2026) at around 10.44 WIB. The Aceh Besar Regency BPBD deployed four fire engines and 12 personnel to extinguish the blaze, which burned one hectare of land, and the fire was successfully put out by 12.55 WIB. In the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, land fires occurred at several points in Manggar District on Sunday at 09.00 WIB, triggered by land clearing activities. A total of 0.29 hectares burned in Padang Village and two hectares in Kurnia Jaya Village, East Belitung Regency. The East Belitung BPBD’s TRC team deployed four personnel and extinguished the fire by 09.45 WIB, with the cooling process completed and the situation declared safe and under control. On Java Island, forest and land fires were reported in three provinces: West Java, Central Java, and East Java. In West Java, two hectares of land burned in Bunihayu Village, Jalancagak District, Subang Regency, after a garbage fire spread to a bamboo plantation on Sunday at 16.00 WIB. The Subang BPBD, along with the Tagana team, fire brigade, TNI, Polri, and local residents, extinguished the fire by night. In Central Java, fires occurred in Jepara and Banyumas regencies. In Jepara, two hectares of shrubland in the Trowili forest area in Keling Village caught fire on Saturday (8/8/2026) at 18.30 WIB, suspected to have been caused by the burning of rubbish and leaf litter. Despite challenges including steep terrain near a ravine and difficult vehicle access, a joint team from the Jepara BPBD, fire brigade, Perhutani, SAR Jepara, and volunteers extinguished the fire by 22.30 WIB. In Banyumas, three hectares of land in Kasegeran Village, Cilongok District, burned on Sunday at 11.00 WIB and was extinguished by a joint team by 17.38 WIB. In East Java, an update on the Mount Bromo fire as of Sunday at 23.30 WIB reported a total burned area of 520 hectares, affecting mountain pine, mentingi, acacia, and shrub vegetation. The fire point in the Dingklik Valley was observed to be growing, prompting the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park to temporarily close all tourist entrances to Mount Bromo starting 8 August 2026 at 22.00 WIB until further notice. Additionally, a fire in Jember Regency burned 6.5 hectares of Perhutani land on Mount Watangan in Lojejer Village, Wuluhan District, on Saturday at 20.07 WIB, and was extinguished by a joint team by 01.15 WIB on Sunday. In Sulawesi, forest and land fires were reported in Central Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, and South Sulawesi.