West Java Provincial Government Closes Mountain Climbing Activities to Prevent Land Fires

The Governor of West Java, Dedi Mastingjaya (KDM), has instructed mountain area managers to temporarily suspend all climbing activities. The move aims to prevent land fires in mountainous regions during the current dry season.

KDM expressed concerns that fires lit by climbers could trigger widespread land fires, noting that discarded cigarette butts also pose a significant risk. “Mountain climbing is temporarily closed because of concerns that climbers may light fires,” KDM stated in a written statement on Thursday (3/9/2026).

According to data from the West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency, the total area of land and forest burnt in West Java up to 31 August 2026 reached 228.07 hectares. These fires have affected 178 villages across 107 sub-districts.

A total of 156 fire incidents were recorded. The three districts with the highest number of incidents were Sumedang Regency with 21 cases, Majalengka Regency with 17 cases, and Bandung Regency with 16 cases.

“In terms of land area, the largest fires occurred in Sukabumi Regency at 49.20 hectares, Majalengka Regency at 26.16 hectares, and Bandung Regency at 24.80 hectares,” he concluded.