Putri Cempo landfill fire in Surakarta

A major fire broke out at the Putri Cempo landfill in Mojosongo, Surakarta, on September 2, 2026. The blaze, which has since expanded to affect approximately 5.5 hectares of waste, prompted the Surakarta City Government to declare a 14-day emergency status.

As of September 7, the disaster has forced 105 residents to evacuate due to smoke inhalation risks. While some areas have been declared safe, fire crews continue to work on extinguishing hotspots in Block B. Containment efforts involve ground-based spraying, water bombing, and the use of hydrants at the waste-to-energy plant.

To accelerate firefighting, the Central Java Provincial Government and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) are preparing a weather modification operation (OMC) scheduled for September 9–10, 2026.

Local officials previously attributed the fire risk to the facility’s transition from a sanitary landfill to an open dumping method due to being over capacity since 2007, which increases methane gas buildup. In response to the incident and extreme heat, the Ministry of Environment has instructed local governments across Indonesia to increase vigilance at landfills, emphasizing the need to end open dumping practices and improve methane gas management to prevent similar fires.