Wildfire in Indonesian national park grows

Indonesia dispatched aircraft and hundreds of firefighters on Sunday to battle a wildfire raging through Mount Bromo National Park, one of several blazes gripping the country during an unusually dry season. The fire has scorched about 176 hectares (435 acres) of the park in East Java province, a renowned tourist spot.

Authorities closed the park to visitors on Saturday, and park chief Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha stated the closure would continue indefinitely. A large contingent of personnel, including firefighters, disaster management staff, police, soldiers, park rangers, and volunteers, are working to contain the fire. Helicopters and drones are assisting the ground crews, who are also constructing firebreaks to slow the spread.

Nugraha noted that the challenging terrain, with hotspots on steep volcanic slopes, complicates containment efforts. The Bromo fire occurs as other wildfires have erupted across Indonesia. A fire in Central Java's Banyumas Regency, triggered by land-clearing activities, spread rapidly due to dry conditions. In West Java, a fire in the Suryakencana Meadow area of Mount Gede Pangrango National Park led to temporary closures of hiking trails.

The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency attributes the rapid spread to strong winds and extremely dry vegetation. The El Niño weather pattern, combined with dry winds from Australia, has heightened fire risks. Forest fires are common in Sumatra and Borneo during dry spells, often started intentionally for land clearing, which can cause hazardous haze across Southeast Asia.

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difficult terrain has complicated efforts, with some hotspots located on steep volcanic slopes that are difficult to reach by land.