Forest and Land Fires in West Aceh Spread to 20.5 Hectares Across Six Districts
The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of West Aceh Regency has reported that the area affected by forest and land fires (karhutla) in the region has now reached 20.5 hectares. The distribution of hotspots has been recorded as spreading to six districts in West Aceh Regency.
Acting Head of BPBD West Aceh, Teuku Ronal, stated that the joint team is still working intensively to extinguish the fires. “Currently, joint officers are continuing to battle the fires both by land and air,” said Teuku Ronal in Meulaboh on Tuesday (4/8/2026).
Despite the significant area of land burned, Ronal explained that the majority of hotspots have been brought under control. Handling progress in most locations has reached 90 per cent, with one location in Meureubo District reported to be completely extinguished.
“Alhamdulillah, thanks to the hard work of the joint team, most of the handling locations have reached 90 per cent progress and the location in Gunong Kleng Village is 100 per cent extinguished,” he added.
In this fire suppression operation, BPBD deployed personnel from its headquarters as well as fire stations in Meureubo, Woyla, Arongan, and Kaway XVI. The effort is also supported by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), local communities, and students from the UTU PK student regiment. The team is equipped with operational vehicles, water pump machines, and drones to monitor hotspots from the air.
However, field officers are still encountering several technical obstacles. Limited water sources around the fire locations and strong winds are the main hindrances in accelerating the total extinguishing process. In addition to damaging vegetation, the fires have also begun to trigger smoke haze that is affecting residents’ breathing and reducing visibility for road users.
Regarding the cause of the fires, authorities are still conducting an investigation. “As for the exact cause of the fire, it is currently still under investigation by the relevant authorities,” concluded Teuku Ronal.