DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Environment & Climate

Dozens of hectares burn in 16 Central Java regions amid dry season

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Central Java, Indonesia, has recorded 37 forest and land fires across 16 regions between June 5 and July 12, 2026.
  • Approximately 42 hectares of land have been affected by these fires, primarily consisting of dry grass and shrubs.
  • Officials attribute the fires to the ongoing dry season, with potential causes including friction from dry vegetation and human error like discarded cigarettes or uncontrolled trash burning.

Central Java, Indonesia, is experiencing a significant number of forest and land fires amid its dry season. The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Central Java Province has documented 37 separate incidents of forest and land fires (karhutla) across 16 districts and cities between June 5 and July 12, 2026. These fires have collectively impacted around 42 hectares of land.

So starting from June 5 to July 12, the total number of incidents (fires) was 242. Of those 242, forest and land fires were 37. But the tendency is towards land.

— Bergas Catursasi PenanggulanganProviding statistics on the number of fires in Central Java.

Bergas Catursasi Penanggulangan, head of the BPBD, stated that the majority of these incidents occurred on land rather than in forests. The most affected areas include Sukoharjo, Blora, Klaten, and Sragen. The fires have primarily consumed dry grass and shrubbery.

Thirty-seven karhutla incidents have been recorded in 16 regencies/cities. The areas with the highest number of karhutla include Sukoharjo, Blora, Klaten, Sragen.

— Bergas Catursasi PenanggulanganDetailing the locations most affected by the fires.

Officials attribute the widespread fires to the prevailing dry season conditions. Potential ignition sources include the natural friction of dry vegetation in the intense heat. Additionally, human negligence is cited as a factor, such as improperly discarded cigarette butts igniting dry brush or fires set for waste disposal spreading uncontrollably to adjacent dry land.

If it's dry grass, the indication (trigger for the fire) could be friction, because the weather is very hot. It could be friction, then it burns.

— Bergas Catursasi PenanggulanganExplaining a potential natural cause for the fires.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog