20-9-2023 (JAKARTA) Several cities in Central and West Java, Indonesia, are grappling with raging fires that have consumed their landfills, exacerbated by the scorching temperatures of this year’s protracted dry season, attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon.
The most recent incident occurred at the Putri Cempo landfill in Surakarta, Central Java, where a fire ignited on Saturday. The blaze has already devoured 2 hectares of accumulated waste.
Authorities suspect that the high temperatures, a result of the prolonged dry spell, triggered the fire by igniting methane gas generated within the landfill due to the decomposition of organic waste. Methane is a highly flammable gas commonly found in landfill sites.
Efforts to extinguish the fire have proven challenging due to changing wind directions and the vast piles of combustible waste. As a result, firefighters from various local disaster mitigation and fire agencies in Surakarta, totaling 45 units, have been deployed to combat the blaze. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has also received a request for a waterbombing operation from the Surakarta municipality administration to aid in quelling the landfill fire.
The fire at Putri Cempo has created a haze affecting residential areas surrounding the landfill. Approximately 200 residents in the Mojosongo subdistrict have reported health issues, particularly respiratory problems among vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly. Health workers have provided medical treatment, and local authorities have distributed face masks. Authorities also advised residents living within 50 meters of the landfill to evacuate, although many opted to stay in their homes.
The Putri Cempo fire is one of several landfill-related incidents across Java in recent weeks. A fire broke out at the Jatibarang landfill in Semarang, Central Java, on Monday, prompting investigations into its cause. Strong winds contributed to the fire’s spread, and although firefighters managed to extinguish it, they continued spraying water to prevent a resurgence of flames due to the high concentration of methane in the trash.
In West Java, two landfill sites have also been affected by fires, including the Kopi Luhur landfill in Cirebon and the Sarimukti landfill in West Bandung regency. While firefighters quickly contained the Kopi Luhur fire, the resulting haze forced 1,500 households near the landfill to evacuate for several days. The Sarimukti landfill fire has been a protracted battle, burning at least 20 hectares since August 19. It will only be able to retain half of its original waste capacity once the fire is entirely extinguished to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
El Niño, a weather system causing warmer air over Indonesia due to extended periods of warm Pacific Ocean temperatures, is expected to prolong the dry season, leading to an anticipation of increased fires during 2023. Some regions are already grappling with forest and land fires, contributing to widespread haze, such as in Palembang, South Sumatra. Between January and July, Indonesia witnessed over 90,000 hectares of land consumed by fires, as per data from the Environment and Forestry Ministry.
