Peatland Firefighting Tactics Deployed to Cool Underground Methane
Efforts to extinguish the stubborn blaze at the Jatiwaringin landfill in Mauk, Tangerang Regency, entered their fifth consecutive day on Saturday. While visible surface flames have significantly decreased, response teams are shifting focus to volatile subterranean hotspots buried deep within the massive garbage mounds.
To accelerate the operation, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry deployed 30 specialized Manggala Agni personnel from West Java and Sulawesi. Environment Minister Diaz Faizal Malik Hendropriyono explained that the dense waste piles share a striking structural similarity with peatland fires, requiring specialized technical intervention to safely neutralize.
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"Surface spraying alone is insufficient to douse the embers smoldering beneath the refuse," stated Minister Diaz on Saturday. He warned that trapped methane gas (CH4) continues to fuel subterranean combustion, creating a high risk of localized explosions, which prompted the Manggala Agni team to utilize direct water injection techniques into the core of the waste heap.
A joint task force comprising local firefighters, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), police, and military personnel are utilizing heavy machinery and aerial support to combat the lingering smoke. Four excavators are actively tearing open the trash piles to expose hidden hotspots, while a BNPB MI-8AMT water-bombing helicopter conducts strategic aerial drops using a bambi bucket filled from a nearby lake.