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🇸🇬 Singapore /Disasters & Emergencies

Mount Bromo Wildfire Extinguished After Burning 550 Hectares; New Hotspots Emerge

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A fire in Indonesia's Mount Bromo National Park has been extinguished after burning 550 hectares.
  • New hotspots have emerged near the caldera, with authorities deploying resources to combat them.
  • The cause of the fire is under investigation, but carelessness is suspected, and the park remains closed to tourists.

A wildfire that raged through Indonesia's Mount Bromo National Park in East Java has been brought under control, officials reported on August 10. The blaze consumed approximately 550 hectares of land before being fully extinguished.

However, the fight against the fires is not entirely over. Authorities have identified new hotspots near the caldera, prompting an immediate response. Over 120 personnel, supported by three water-bombing helicopters, drones, and fire trucks, are actively working to contain these emerging flames.

The fire around the caldera is likely to spread further on Monday.

— Gatot SoebrotoHead of the local disaster mitigation agency, describing the potential spread of new fires.

The national park, a popular tourist destination known for its unique "sand sea" caldera, has been closed to visitors since the evening of August 8 due to the ongoing fire threat. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.

While the exact cause of the initial fire remains under investigation, Gatot Soebroto, head of the local disaster mitigation agency, indicated that carelessness is the suspected reason. He explained that authorities believe a person lit a fire and failed to extinguish it completely, noting that the first flames were discovered along a visitor route. The park covers over 50,000 hectares, and the proximity of the new fires to the active volcano raises concerns about potential further spread.

A person lit a fire, then put it out - but the fire was not fully extinguished.

— Gatot SoebrotoHead of the local disaster mitigation agency, explaining the suspected cause of the fire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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