Tangerang Landfill Fire in Indonesia Triggers 154 Respiratory Cases

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A fire at the Jatiwaringin Landfill in Tangerang Regency, Indonesia, since Tuesday, June 30 to Sunday, July 5, 2026, has yet to be extinguished. This fire has caused dozens of residents around the location to evacuate. The impact of the fire has caused hazardous air quality for health.

Up to this point, officers in the field continue to try to extinguish the fire. Considering the height of the waste pile which reached about 20-30 meters, the extinguishing process requires special handling. The central and regional governments are involved in handling this issue.

The exact cause of the fire is still unknown. However, the preliminary suspicion is that the fire was triggered by hot weather conditions that caused the emergence of fire points in the waste pile and then spread.

Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi) stated that the incident is a direct consequence of the failure of waste management systems that have been left without fundamental improvement. Here are some points regarding the Jatiwaringin Landfill fire:

Fire Suspected to be Due to Hot Weather Conditions

In its official statement, the Ministry of Environment/Badan Pengendalian Lingkungan Hidup (KLH/BPLH) suspects that the fire was triggered by hot weather conditions that caused the emergence of fire points in the waste pile and then spread. However, the exact cause will be investigated after the emergency situation is under control. "The exact cause will be investigated after the emergency situation is successfully controlled," they stated.

Residents Afflicted by ISPA

The Tangerang Regency Health Office recorded that 154 residents suffered from acute respiratory tract infections (ISPA) due to exposure to smoke from the Jatiwaringin Landfill fire. Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (PMK) Pratikno stated that the central government has intervened to handle the affected residents of the fire.

Extinguishing Efforts and Declaration of Disaster Emergency Status

The Ministry of Environment stated that extinguishing efforts are being carried out by the Tangerang Regency Government through land routes and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) using helicopters with the water bombing method. Artificial rain efforts have also been attempted but have not been implemented due to the technical requirements of the clouds. The Ministry of Environment has deployed all of the Deputy for Law Enforcement of Environmental Management, Deputy for Control of Environmental Pollution and Damage, and Deputy for Waste, Hazardous and Toxic Material Management directly to the location. Meanwhile, the Tangerang Regency Government has declared a Disaster Emergency Response status through the Regent's Decision Number 609 of 2026.

102 Residents Evacuated

The Head of Data, Information, and Communications Center for Disaster Management of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, stated that 102 residents have evacuated to avoid the danger of the spread of landfill material smoke. "Up to now, joint officers continue to make efforts to mitigate the situation," he said, quoted from Antara, Saturday, July 4, 2026.

Abdul ensured that medical teams are on standby 24 hours at the evacuation site and at locations affected by the incident. The goal is to anticipate the adverse impact of acute respiratory tract infections (ISPA) on the residents.

Ministry of Health Sends Logistics Aid

The Ministry of Health has distributed various logistical aid and established health posts to provide health support for the affected residents of the Jatiwaringin Landfill fire.

"We distribute this health logistics support to strengthen health services in affected areas, as well as anticipate the increased need for services due to smoke exposure from the fire," said the Head of Health Crisis Center of the Ministry of Health, Agus Jamaludin, Saturday, July 4, 2026.

The health logistical aid distributed includes 15 units of oxygen concentrators, six units of oximeters, three units of air purifiers, 11,500 pcs of medical surgical masks, and 5,000 pcs of non-sterile gloves.

Walhi Assesses Not a Normal Incident

Walhi asserts that the fire at the Jatiwaringin Landfill can no longer be viewed as a normal incident. Walhi stated that the incident is a direct consequence of the failure of waste management systems that have been left without fundamental improvement.

The Jatiwaringin Landfill receives about 1,366 to 2,700 tons of waste per day, or equivalent to 498,590 to 985,500 tons per year. However, this amount only covers about 59 percent of the total waste pile in Tangerang Regency, indicating the enormous pressure on the existing waste management system.

Wahyu Eka Styawan, Urban Justice Campaigner of Walhi National, emphasized that the fire at the Jatiwaringin Landfill completes a long series of waste management failures in various regions. According to him, this case does not stand alone, but intersects with the closure of the Cipeucang Landfill in South Tangerang City, as well as landslides at the Cipayung and Bantargebang Landfills.

According to him, the fire was triggered by the accumulation of methane gas (CH) produced from the decay of organic waste in the open dumping system, creating highly flammable conditions. "In this situation, poor waste management combined with the climate crisis, especially heat waves, increases the risk of ecological disasters," said Wahyu in a written statement, Thursday, July 2, 2026.

Irsyan Hasyim contributed to the writing of this article.

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