The Bandung Regency Government has begun tightening vigilance against the risk of forest and land fires (Karhutla) following BMKG's prediction that the peak of the dry season will hit the region in August 2026. The Bandung Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) has coordinated across sectors down to the village level to mitigate the impacts of extreme drought, which is expected to be more severe than the previous year.
Based on past event history, five sub-districts have been designated as red zones or areas with a high level of vulnerability. These areas include Mount Anjing in Arjasari, Mount Wayang in Pangalengan, the Kawah Putih area in Rancabali, as well as several villages in Kutawaringin Sub-district, namely Cilame, Sukamulya, and Buninagara Villages.
Head of Prevention and Preparedness at the Bandung Regency BPBD, Diki Sudrajat, emphasized that the predicted decrease in rainfall through September will trigger a reduction in spring water volume and increase the potential for fires. “We have instructed each area to be on standby, considering that the risk of Karhutla will be even greater amidst the drier weather conditions this year,” Diki said.
On the other hand, the Bandung Regency Fire and Rescue Service (Disdamkar) is also strengthening operational readiness. Head of Disdamkar, Iman Irianto Sudjana, explained that officers have prepared rapid mitigation procedures, including firebreak trenching techniques to localize fires. Nevertheless, steep terrain challenges and difficult access to water sources remain the main obstacles in the extinguishing process in mountainous areas.
Data recorded 309 fire events in 2025, 19 of which were land fires. Meanwhile, as of mid-2026, 16 land fire incidents have been recorded. Disdamkar emphasized that the majority of fire triggers are human activities, such as burning trash, burning brush, and carelessly discarding cigarette butts.
Therefore, the public is urged to increase environmental awareness by not engaging in any open burning. If an uncontrollable fire is found, residents are asked to immediately contact the Damkar emergency services so officers can take swift preventive action before the fire spreads and becomes hard to reach for fire engines.
