Jatiwaringin Landfill Fire Rages for Five Days, 154 Residents Suffer Respiratory Issues
A fire at the Jatiwaringin Final Processing Site (TPA) in Tangerang Regency has continued to burn since Tuesday, 30 June, and remained unextinguished as of Sunday, 5 July 2026. The blaze has forced dozens of residents to evacuate and caused air quality to deteriorate to hazardous levels. Firefighting personnel are still working to extinguish the flames, but the depth of the waste pile—reaching 20 to 30 metres—requires specialised handling. Both central and regional governments have intervened to manage the situation.
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. Preliminary assessments suggest that hot weather conditions may have triggered hotspots within the waste pile, which then spread. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry/Bureau of Environmental Control (KLH/BPLH) stated that a definitive cause will be investigated once the emergency is under control.
The Tangerang Regency Health Office recorded 154 residents suffering from acute respiratory infections due to smoke exposure. Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno confirmed that the central government has stepped in to assist affected communities. Firefighting efforts include ground operations by the Tangerang Regency government and aerial water bombing using a BNPB helicopter. Attempts to conduct cloud seeding for artificial rain have so far been unsuccessful due to insufficient cloud conditions.
The Ministry of Environment has deployed its deputies for environmental law enforcement, pollution and environmental damage control, and waste management to the site. The Tangerang Regency government has declared a state of emergency through Regent Decree No. 609 of 2026. According to BNPB Head of Data, Information, and Communication Centre Abdul Muhari, 102 residents have been displaced to avoid the hazardous smoke. Medical teams have been stationed at evacuation sites and affected areas around the clock to anticipate further cases of acute respiratory infection.
The Ministry of Health has distributed logistical aid, including 15 oxygen concentrators, six oximeters, three air purifiers, 11,500 surgical masks, and 5,000 non-sterile gloves, and has established health posts to support medical services for those affected.
Environmental organisation Walhi asserted that the fire is not an isolated incident but a direct consequence of systemic failures in waste management. The Jatiwaringin landfill receives between 1,366 and 2,700 tonnes of waste daily, equivalent to 498,590 to 985,500 tonnes annually, yet this accounts for only 59 per cent of total waste generation in Tangerang Regency. Walhi campaigner Wahyu Eka Styawan linked the fire to the accumulation of methane gas from decomposing organic waste in an open dumping system, exacerbated by extreme heat linked to the climate crisis. He noted that similar failures have occurred at other landfills, including Cipeucang in South Tangerang and landslides at Cipayung and Bantargebang.