A mountain of rubbish in Indonesia has been on fire for more than a week

For eight days, a fire has been burning at a waste mountain in Indonesia.

The blaze at Jatiwaringin landfill, on the outskirts of the capital Jakarta, has spread across more than 15 hectares, smothering the area in thick, toxic smoke and displacing hundreds of local residents.

Health authorities have reported a surge in respiratory illnesses due to air pollution, and firefighters have dispatched helicopters, water tankers, bulldozers and drones to extinguish the inferno.

There are hopes this can be achieved by the end of the week. But environmental activists say this is just one symptom of a growing waste crisis in Indonesia, describing the landfill fire as an “ecological disaster resulting from systemic negligence”.

The fire broke out on 30 June, initially triggered by a small spark which was fanned by strong gusts of wind and spread to several locations – including places where the rubbish was piled high, and spots that have proven difficult for firefighters to reach.

In the week since, heavy black clouds of smoke have inundated surrounding residential areas. Measurements from the Ministry of Environment indicate that the air quality around the landfill has reached hazardous levels, though the severity has eased in recent days.

One local resident, 45-year-old Sarmanah, told the BBC that toxic smoke flooded her house, forcing her to flee with her child.

“The smoke was so thick you couldn’t see anyone,” she recalled. “It stings the nose, makes you cough and have a runny nose, and makes you unable to breathe… We were forced to leave the house because we couldn’t take it anymore.”

Hundreds of others were driven to do the same, seeking refuge at a shelter set up by the local government. Tosiyani, 37, said she was prohibited from going home because “the smoke contains toxic gas”.