Bukit Silvia Tourist Area in Labuan Bajo Gutted by Fire, Triggered by Cigarette Butt
The Bukit Silvia tourist area in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, has been ravaged by fire. Police stated the massive blaze that engulfed the hillside area near the Ayana Hotel was triggered by a visitor’s cigarette butt.
“Preliminary investigation results indicate negligence by a visitor who carelessly discarded a still-lit cigarette butt onto a stretch of dry cogon grass,” said West Manggarai Police Chief AKBP Christian Kadang on Thursday evening (11/6/2026).
“Amidst the current extreme hot weather, such a small act is utterly fatal and immediately sparked a large fire,” he added.
The fire lasted approximately four hours, starting at 11.00 Wita on Thursday. The flames were successfully extinguished around 15.00 Wita.
According to Christian, information about the fire was first received by the West Manggarai Police duty officer based on a report from a resident who saw thick smoke billowing from the hilltop. A joint team of personnel was immediately deployed to the fire location to extinguish the flames.
“Upon receiving the report from residents at around 11.15 Wita, we immediately dispatched personnel along with the Armored Water Cannon (AWC) fleet to the scene of the land fire,” said Christian.
One tactical AWC unit from the West Manggarai Police was deployed to tame the blaze. There were also two fire engines, one clean water tanker from the Labuan Bajo Naval Base, and one privately operated water tanker.
All main fire spots were fully extinguished by 14.05 Wita. Officers then continued the cooling down process to ensure no embers remained beneath the soil surface that could potentially trigger a subsequent fire.
Christian confirmed there were no fatalities or injuries resulting from the fire. He appealed to the entire community and tourists visiting the super-priority destination of Labuan Bajo to be more prudent and responsible in preserving the environment for collective safety.
“Our appeal to visitors is not to discard cigarette butts or start fires carelessly that could trigger a blaze. We ask for your cooperation, because this fire would not have occurred if there had been no flame arising from human negligence,” Christian stressed.