Way Kambas Fires Extinguished with Sumatran Elephants Confirmed Safe

RRI.CO.ID, Lampung - The Way Kambas National Park (TNWK) Center in East Lampung Regency, Lampung Province, has confirmed that groups of Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumtranus) are in a safe area and have not been affected by forest fires at two locations in the park. The protected animals were monitored far from the Toto Projo Resort, separate from the firefighting operations near the Elephant Training Center.

Chair of the Joint Committee for the Mitigation and Handling of Negative Interactions with Sumatran elephants, Sriyanto, said the first fire occurred in the Elephant Training Center (PLG) area. Specifically, the fire burned vegetation around a project to build an enclosure for male elephants in Labuhan Ratu Subdistrict.

“The fire affected shrubs, tall grass, and mentru trees across an area of approximately five hectares,” said Sriyanto when contacted from South Lampung on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

He explained that 39 personnel had been deployed to tackle the fire, supported by two fire engines, one water tanker, and one personnel transport vehicle.

“The firefighting operation involved personnel from the TNWK Center, the Indonesian Military, and the National Police. They worked alongside field partners and the Joint Committee for the Mitigation and Handling of Negative Interactions with Sumatran Elephants,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

According to Sriyanto, the fire broke out on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The firefighting vehicles arrived approximately 10 minutes after the report was received. Water supplies used in the operation were replenished gradually from the supporting tanker.

“The flames around the male elephant enclosure project were completely extinguished at approximately 2 p.m. Jakarta time,” he said.

The second fire occurred in a secondary forest area managed by the National Park Management Resort (PTN) in the Cabang area, across several grids within TNWK.

Sriyanto said the fire at the site occurred sporadically on the ground surface and in the tree canopy. Hot weather, with temperatures of approximately 33 degrees Celsius, combined with strong winds, contributed to the spread of the flames.

The joint team used a three-pump series system involving three portable pump engines supported by water storage tanks. Personnel also used jet shooters and manual equipment, including pointed and blunt rakes, to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading.

“Once we received information about the fire, the joint task force and its partners immediately moved to the location. We ensured that firefighting equipment, water supplies, and other tools were distributed optimally,” he said.

He added that the main challenges in extinguishing the fire were difficult terrain and the considerable distance between the water sources and the fire location.

Meanwhile, TNWK Head, MHD Zaidi, confirmed that the fire in the Cabang Resort area was not located within the range of the elephant group monitored in the Toto Projo Resort. “The elephants were very far from yesterday’s forest fire. The elephant group was in the Toto Projo Resort area,” he said.

After the main flames had been extinguished, the joint personnel continued cooling the affected areas to ensure that no embers remained that could potentially reignite the fire.

The TNWK Center and the committee are also coordinating possible aerial firefighting support, or water bombing, to reach fire hotspots that are difficult to access by land. ***