Jakarta — A landfill fire that has been burning for nearly a week in Tangerang, near Jakarta, has forced Indonesian authorities to escalate their response, highlighting the persistent challenges of extinguishing deep-seated waste fires.
The blaze at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Mauk District began on 30 June 2026 and has spread across a significant portions of the site, with roughly 15 hectares of landfill affected, out of a total 33 hectares. Authorities have declared a state of emergency and evacuated residents as thick smoke continues to impact surrounding communities.
Jatiwaringin landfill received between 1,200 to 1,300 tons waste daily from 29 districts across Tangerang Regency, Banten Province.
Despite continuous firefighting efforts, including aerial water bombing and ground operations, the fire has yet to be fully contained as it enters its sixth day.
Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said the government is preparing to deploy weather modification, or artificial rain, as a key strategy to accelerate extinguishing efforts.
“We need to wait for clouds that contain sufficient moisture. Based on forecast, potential clouds may appear within the next six to seven days, and we will immediately proceed with weather modification,” the official said during a visit to the site, Sunday, 5 July 2026.
Firefighting operations are ongoing, with helicopters conducting water bombing missions while ground crews work to contain remaining hotspots.
However, officials acknowledge that these methods have limited effectiveness against fires burning beneath layers of compacted waste — a common characteristic of landfill blazes.
Suharyanto said artificial rain is expected to deliver a greater volume of water and wider coverage, increasing the chances of reaching hidden fire pockets.
