Mount Ciremai hiking routes closed to prevent forest fires

All hiking routes on Mount Ciremai in Indonesia’s West Java province will close temporarily from September 6 to reduce the risk of forest and land fires during the dry season.

The Mount Ciremai National Park authority announced the closure in a notice signed by its head, Toni Anwar, on August 31. The routes will remain closed until fire conditions are declared safe. Online booking for hiking trips stopped on September 1.

Hikers who paid for bookings before September 6 can reschedule by contacting the park administrator. Those who booked before September 1 for hikes scheduled by September 5 may still enter, but only under close supervision by park officers.

Park officials said the decision followed directives from Indonesia’s conservation authority and the West Java governor. They said the measure aims to limit the potential for fires while protecting the Mount Ciremai National Park ecosystem and visitor safety.

Eska Nata Suryana, the park’s coordinator for data, evaluation, reporting and public relations, said about three fires had occurred on Mount Ciremai during the dry season. The most serious affected 15 hectares, and officials attributed the fires to human activity or human error.

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People who had already booked before September 1 for trips before September 6 will still be allowed to hike under supervision by officers.