Indonesian firefighters take to the skies as Mount Bromo wildfire forces park closure, fifth in 2026

JAKARTA, Aug 9 — Indonesian authorities have sealed off a national park on Java island as firefighters wage a week-long battle against a wildfire that has scorched 176 hectares since igniting on Monday. The blaze erupted in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, located near the popular East Java tourist spot of Mount Bromo, according to a disaster official.

The park was shut down to visitors as of late Saturday. There have been no reported injuries or property damage, stated National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari. Two water-bombing helicopters have been mobilized to combat the flames in hard-to-reach areas due to steep slopes and strong winds, the official said in a statement on Sunday.

The challenging conditions necessitate aerial operations to access regions that cannot be effectively tackled by land-based firefighters. A similar fire in 2023 ravaged over 500 hectares of land on Mount Bromo after a couple ignited a flare during a pre-wedding photo session. Indonesia anticipates an intensified and prolonged dry season this year, increasing the risk of wildfires and drought, partly attributed to the El Nino weather pattern, reported the weather agency BMKG.

Over 107,000 hectares of land have already been burned in Indonesia during the first half of the year, more than double the area destroyed by wildfires in 2023. El Nino, a natural climate phenomenon, brings about global shifts in winds, air pressure, and rainfall patterns, typically resulting in drier conditions in Southeast Asia and India.