Fire at Mount Rinjani Successfully Extinguished, Mitigation Efforts Continue

The forest and land fire that hit the Mount Rinjani National Park (TNGR) area in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has been successfully extinguished. Although the main blaze has been brought under control, field teams are still conducting patrols and monitoring to ensure no embers or fire sources reignite. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that early detection and rapid response remain necessary to tackle the threat of forest and land fires. He said early warning systems, including hotspot monitoring, must be utilised to prevent fires from spreading further. “Do not wait for the fire to grow. Utilise our early warning system through Sipongi+ hotspot monitoring and other technologies, carry out early detection, and handle it as early as possible,” he said in a statement on Monday (10/8/2026). The fire broke out in the TNGR area on Friday (7/8/2026). The blaze was dominated by savanna cover and dry shrubs that are highly flammable during the dry season. After receiving the report, a joint team immediately moved to handle the situation on the ground. At least 30 hectares of the TNGR area were affected by the fire. The fire was brought under control on Saturday (8/8/2026). After the main blaze was extinguished, the team continued sweeping to ensure there were no embers or fire sources that could potentially reignite. Follow-up monitoring is being carried out until all hotspots are confirmed to be completely extinguished. This step is necessary because the burned area has savanna vegetation and shrubs that are highly flammable, especially during the dry season. Head of the Forest Fire Control Centre for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Region (Dalkarhut Jabalnusra), Bambang Setyo Antoko, said that response speed and cross-party collaboration were key in preventing the forest fire from spreading further. According to Bambang, the speed of the Manggala Agni team together with area managers and all elements on the ground in carrying out suppression was the key to early forest fire control. “This collaboration must continue to be strengthened, because successful fire control is a shared responsibility,” said Bambang. Although the fire has been extinguished, Bambang assessed that fire management does not stop after suppression. Monitoring and vigilance are still required, especially in areas with savanna vegetation that is highly flammable during dry conditions. Bambang explained that Mount Rinjani National Park is one of the important conservation areas in West Nusa Tenggara. The area has an ecological function in maintaining biodiversity, habitat for various flora and fauna, water systems, and ecosystem sustainability. In addition, the Mount Rinjani National Park area holds social and cultural value for the surrounding community, having been part of their lives for generations. Therefore, conservation efforts must be carried out together, including through forest fire prevention and control involving various parties. Bambang emphasised that the success of fire control in Sembalun could not be separated from the synergy of various elements involved on the ground. “The suppression operation in Sembalun demonstrated the importance of synergy between Manggala Agni, area managers, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Indonesian National Police, community fire brigades, the community, and other relevant elements. Joint work on the ground allowed the fire to be immediately localised and extinguished before it spread further,” he said. He also reminded all personnel and the public to increase vigilance against the potential for forest and land fires, especially during the dry season. If smoke or signs of fire are spotted, the public is urged to immediately report to officers so that handling can be carried out as early as possible.