Joint Task Force Extinguishes Forest Fire in Trenggalek

A joint team from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and the Trenggalek Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) successfully extinguished a forest fire on land owned by Perum Perhutani in plot 74 C, located in the villages of Sumberingin and Jatiprahu, Karangan District, Trenggalek Regency, on Wednesday (5/8/2026). The fire affected a teak forest area of approximately 1.5 hectares.

Danramil 0806-08/Karangan, Second Lieutenant Cpl Edi Vinolia Tasiabe, said the fire was first detected at around 3:30 p.m. local time by Joko, a foreman from the Karangan Forest Management Unit (RPH), who saw smoke and flames from Gamping Village, Suruh District, specifically in the Gunung Sawe area, RT 15 RW 03, Sumberingin Village. The discovery was immediately reported to Perhutani, the military sub-district command (Koramil), and the Karangan police sector (Polsek).

Following the report, personnel from Koramil 0806-08/Karangan, Polsek Karangan, and BPBD moved directly to the location. The hilly terrain made it impossible for vehicles to reach the fire, so firefighting was carried out manually using the gepyok method, which involves beating the flames with branches and leaves.

“As soon as we received the report, the joint team moved to the location to prevent the fire from spreading. Despite the difficult terrain, all personnel worked together to fight the fire until it was brought under control. Cross-agency synergy was key in handling this fire,” said Second Lieutenant Cpl Edi Vinolia Tasiabe.

The firefighting operation lasted approximately two and a half hours. Thanks to the cooperation of the joint team, the flames were fully extinguished at around 6:00 p.m. local time, preventing the fire from spreading to a wider forest area.

Based on field data collection, the fire destroyed standing teak trees in the Perhutani area covering approximately 1.5 hectares. To anticipate the emergence of new fire spots, the Koramil and the joint team have kept personnel at the location to monitor the situation and ensure the area is completely safe.

The Danramil expressed hope that the public will increase their awareness of potential forest fires, especially during the dry season. He also urged residents to report any fire spots to the authorities immediately so that action can be taken more quickly and the impact of fires on forest areas and the environment can be minimised.