BPBD Says Extreme Heat Triggered Jatiwaringin Landfill Fire

The Tangerang Regency Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) suspects that extreme hot weather triggered a fire at the Jatiwaringin Final Disposal Site (TPA) in Mauk District, Tangerang Regency, Banten. The fire broke out on Tuesday (30/6) at around 11:00 AM local time. By late afternoon, the flames were still raging and officers were working to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas. Head of BPBD Kabupaten Tangerang, Achmad Taufik, stated that the high temperatures likely ignited methane gas that had accumulated from years of waste deposits, sparking the fire. To tackle the blaze, BPBD deployed 10 fire engines and 45 personnel. Firefighters are still battling the flames engulfing the mountains of rubbish at the site. Taufik noted that firefighting efforts are being hampered by several factors, including strong winds that accelerate the spread of the fire, the difficult mountainous terrain of the waste piles which prevents fire engines from reaching the source, and thick smoke that reduces visibility. He added that water supply is not an issue, but the challenging terrain is the main obstacle. Coordination with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and neighbouring regional disaster agencies will be carried out depending on how the situation develops on the ground.