Mount Lakawan in Enrekang on Fire, Officials Struggle to Extinguish Flames

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has recorded that the impact of the forest and land fire (karhutla) on Mount Lakawan, Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi, has reached 500 hectares.

“Yes, the burnt area has reached approximately 500 hectares,” said the Head of Emergency and Logistics at BPBD Enrekang, Amiruddin, on Wednesday (2/9).

The land fire on Mount Lakawan broke out on Monday night (31/8). A joint team from the BPBD, the National Police, and the Indonesian National Armed Forces has been deployed to extinguish the blaze.

However, as of the time of this report, the fire has not yet been successfully extinguished due to the steep terrain and the fact that the flames have spread to local residents’ shallot plantations.

“The firefighting process is facing obstacles because the location is on steep terrain, which is inaccessible to officers. Furthermore, rocks are falling from above, endangering the safety of personnel,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Head of BPBD Enrekting, Syamsul Bahri, noted that there have been 24 recorded cases of forest and land fires in Enrekang Regency throughout 2026.

“Yes, there have been 24 fire incidents so far, including the fire on Mount Lakawan,” said Syamsul.

Syamsul explained that his agency is continuing to monitor hotspots that are still smouldering around the cliffs. However, the firefighting process is hindered by difficult access caused by broken roads, making it hard for fire engines to reach the fire points.

“The road access is difficult. Furthermore, high and steep cliffs act as barriers to extinguishing the fire at close range. Falling hot rocks also pose a threat to the safety of officers and residents,” he explained.

Regarding the cause of the fire, Syamsul admitted that it is not yet known whether it was caused by drought during the dry season or the impact of El Niño.

“There is certainly a cause for the fire, as it is not solely due to the dry season. However, it is undoubtedly influenced by El Niño, widespread drought, or other causes, such as land clearing or residents discarding cigarette butts,” he said.

As of now, the firefighting efforts on Mount Lakawan are still ongoing through manual methods carried out by joint officers and local residents.