Firefighting Continues, Thermal Drone Deployed at Ciniru Landfill

Thick smoke still blankets the Ciniru landfill site in Ciniru Village, Jalaksana District, Kuningan Regency, on Thursday (20/8). The firefighting process has entered its ninth day.

Head of the Kuningan Regency Environmental Agency (KLH), Usep Sumirat, explained that firefighting efforts are still ongoing. “The nature of the fire at this landfill has its own characteristics. The fire does not only appear on the surface but also inside the waste piles,” he said.

His agency has cooperated with the Cirebon City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) to operate a thermal drone. “Its use helps us map the most vulnerable points, where the fire appears to still be quite large. The heat intensity can also be observed, and we optimise our efforts there,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Acting Chief Executive of the Cirebon City BPBD, Eko Kuswantoro, explained that the thermal drone maps the extent of the fire and monitors hotspots still present in the landfill area. “From the results delivered by our team, there are still hotspots in the landfill area. The temperature is around 80 degrees Celsius,” he added.

His agency will continue to assist by monitoring hotspots in the landfill area.

To maintain the stamina and health of the joint personnel currently fighting the fire at the Ciniru landfill, the Kuningan Regency Health Office has stationed an ambulance with medical staff. “They are tasked with conducting health checks and monitoring the health of the firefighting personnel,” said Agah Nugraha, Head of the Health Services Division at the Kuningan Regency Health Office.

The landfill in Ciniru Village, Jalaksana District, caught fire on Wednesday (12/8). Hot weather combined with strong winds has made the firefighting process difficult. The firefighting process is still ongoing.