Teak Forest Hit by Fire in Kebumen Region
A fire struck the Perhutani-owned teak forest area in Plot 42 B RPH Tebo, Dukuh Mandayana, Candirenggo Village, Ayah District, Kebumen Regency, Central Java, on Tuesday evening (15/9). The flames incinerated approximately 1.4 hectares of the forest area.
Local residents first noticed the fire around 5:30 PM WIB. Officers from the Ayah Police Sector, alongside Perhutani, the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces), BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency), village officials, and local community members, immediately moved to the location to carry out firefighting efforts.
Kebumen Police Chief, AKBP I Putu Bagus Krisna Purnama, stated that the firefighting process faced significant terrain-related obstacles. Access to the fire site was impassable for four-wheeled vehicles, forcing officers to trek on foot through hilly areas.
“Officers eventually extinguished the fire using available rudimentary equipment. The suppression process lasted until approximately 10:10 PM WIB,” said the Kebumen Police Chief on Wednesday (16/9/2026).
In addition to the difficult terrain, officers struggled to find water sources as there were none available near the fire site. This situation necessitated manual firefighting using whatever tools were at hand.
Once the fire was successfully extinguished, officers conducted a sweep of the surrounding area. This step was taken to ensure no remaining embers persisted, particularly among the piles of dried leaves and teak branches.
The fire site was noted to be approximately 300 metres from residential areas. This is a point of concern, as any re-ignition or spreading of the fire could potentially move down the hills towards the settlements.
AKBP Putu noted that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The dry season has left much dry material within the forest area, making the fire easy to spread, while wind also has the potential to accelerate the movement of the flames.
“However, these factors remain mere possibilities and cannot yet be confirmed as the definitive cause of the fire,” he said.
The fire is estimated to have caused damage to teak trees and the forest ecosystem across the 1.4-hectare area. In addition to post-fire management, the police, together with Perhutani and relevant agencies, will increase patrols in the forest area to anticipate similar incidents.
Residents living near the forest area are urged to immediately report any sightings of smoke or fire spots to the authorities.