Forest Fire Continues to Spread on Remote Land, Firefighters Hindered by Access Roads

A forest and land fire has been sweeping through the Lambagu Hamlet area, Sumare Village, Simboro District, Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi, since Thursday afternoon (4/6) and has yet to be fully extinguished. The main obstacle is that the location of the hotspots is far from the reach of firefighting vehicles due to inaccessible terrain. The incident was reported by the Rapid Response Team for Disaster Management to the Disaster Management Operations Control Centre of the West Sulawesi Regional Disaster Management Agency. The fire was first spotted around 1.30 p.m. local time, but extinguishing efforts continued into the evening. The same location also burned on 28 May 2026, just one week prior, raising questions about the cause of the recurring fires which are currently under investigation by teams on the ground. The Chief Executive of the West Sulawesi BPBD, Muhammad Yasir Fattah, stressed that disaster handling is being carried out in an integrated manner in accordance with the priorities of public safety and response acceleration. The joint team deployed includes the Provincial and Mamuju Regency BPBD, Provincial and Regency Fire Services, the Forest and Land Fire Control Centre and the National Police, as well as the Village Government and the West Sulawesi BPBD TRC PB. However, hilly terrain and a lack of access for firefighting vehicles remain the main challenge. Officers can only rely on manual equipment and wetting strategies from a limited distance. Up to the latest report, there have been no injuries, fatalities, or displaced residents. The total area burned and estimated losses are still being assessed. Muhammad Yasir Fattah reminded the public not to clear land by burning, especially amidst the hot weather and dry season. He emphasised that a single cigarette butt or small spark can spread rapidly, and coordination with village officials and local firefighters is crucial. Members of the public who see hotspots or plumes of smoke around forest areas are urged to immediately report to the West Sulawesi BPBD Pusdalops-PB.