BNPB: Wildfire on East Seram Hills Successfully Extinguished

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that a wildfire on the hills of East Seram Regency, Maluku, has been successfully extinguished by a joint task force. The East Seram Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), acting as the field coordinator, received the fire report on Saturday evening, 8 August 2026. Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information and Communication Centre, Dodi Yuleova, stated that the fire was finally put out on Monday, 10 August 2026, at around 22:35 WIT. The joint team, comprising personnel from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and the local fire department, faced significant challenges as the fire was located on steep, rocky terrain that had to be climbed to conduct effective ground suppression. Dodi explained that strong winds caused the flames to spread quickly through 2.5 hectares of dry bushland, exacerbated by the prolonged dry season. Despite the successful extinguishing, the joint task force remains on standby to prevent the fire from reigniting due to wind. Authorities are also conducting public awareness campaigns, urging local residents to refrain from any activities involving fire in the vulnerable areas. The BNPB has called on local governments to tighten preparedness and surveillance in fire-prone regions during the current dry season.