Mountain of rubbish in Indonesia has been burning for more than a week

A large stockpile of waste at an Indonesian landfill has been burning for more than a week, keeping firefighters and cleanup crews working to control the blaze. The continuing fire has raised concerns about persistent smoke and the health impacts of burning waste.

Local residents say the landfill’s waste heaps have long generated pollution and hazards, but the current blaze has intensified those worries, especially for people living nearby.

Authorities have focused on cooling and isolating burning areas and monitoring the situation as the smouldering continues. The incident is also being viewed as part of broader problems with waste management in the region, where waste is often stored or disposed of in ways that can make sites prone to long-lasting fires and other failures.