Forest and Land Fires in West Java Spread to 22 Regencies/Cities, 425 Hectares Burned
Forest and land fires (karhutla) in West Java continue to expand as the dry season progresses. To date, 22 out of the 27 regencies and cities in West Java have been impacted by the disaster.
Hadi Rahmat, spokesperson for the West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), revealed that the total area of burnt land has reached 425.87 hectares. The spread of these fires covers 215 villages and sub-districts across 121 districts.
“Forest and land fires in West Java have occurred in 22 regencies and cities. West Java BPBD has recorded a total of 193 incidents,” said Hadi Rahmat on Thursday (10/9).
Based on West Java BPBD data, Sumedang Regency has the highest frequency of fire incidents, with 24 occurrences. This is followed by Bandung Regency with 2t2 incidents, Subang Regency with 20 incidents, and Majalengka Regency with 18 incidents.
However, in terms of the total area affected, Majalengka Regency ranks first, with land damage reaching 53.66 hectares.
Given that the dry season is still ongoing, West Java BPBD has requested the public to increase vigilance to reduce the risk of new hotspots. Hadi emphasised the importance of the active role of citizens in protecting their surrounding environment.
“West Java BPBD hopes that residents will continue to increase vigilance by not burning rubbish or discarding cigarette butts carelessly,” Hadi stated.
West Java BPBD recorded 111 fire incidents across 19 regions with a total of 168 hectares burned, with Sumedang being the most severely affected area.
A land fire covering 4 hectares hit the edge of the Cisumdawu Toll Road in Sumedang, specifically in the Jatinangor and Ujungjaya areas. The fire is suspected to have originated from a cigarette butt.
BPBD offices across West Java have distributed clean water to the affected areas. The total amount of clean water assistance sent to residents has reached 6,227,800 litres.
West Java BPBD noted 58 fire incidents across 14 regencies/cities up until July 2026. Sumedang, Majalengka, and Cirebon were the most heavily impacted regions.
West Java BPBD warned of the potential for forest and residential fires during the dry season, triggered by human negligence such as cigarette butts and electrical installations.