West Java Forest Fires Burn Nearly 200 Hectares This Year

Forest and land fires have scorched nearly 200 hectares across West Java, Indonesia, this year, affecting 153 villages in 19 regencies and cities. The fires, which began in February, have intensified since June, mirroring trends across the archipelago.

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So, what requires attention is not just the total area burned, but also the fact that the fires are widely distributed across West Java.

Authorities are urging continued vigilance as the dry season peaks in September. "So, what requires attention is not just the total area burned, but also the fact that the fires are widely distributed across West Java," Teten Ali Mulku Engkun, Head of the West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), told Tempo. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts the dry season's peak will occur in August.

Sumedang Regency has reported the highest number of incidents, with 20 fires across 21 villages. However, Sukabumi Regency has the largest total burned area, with 12 incidents covering 49.20 hectares. Other affected areas include Majalengka, Bandung, Subang, Kuningan, and Purwakarta.

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The BMKG [Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency] predicts that most areas will experience the peak of the dry season in August.

Human activity is frequently the dominant factor behind these fires, according to Engkun. Common causes include waste burning, land clearing through fire, discarded cigarette butts, and other flammable vegetation. While no fires have spread to residential areas, the impact of drought is also widespread, affecting over 588,000 individuals across West Java.

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However, human activity can be a dominant factor, specifically waste burning, land clearing via burning, cigarette butts, and other activities.