Wildfire in Indonesian national park grows

Indonesia deployed aircraft and thousands of firefighters on Sunday to combat a growing wildfire in the nation's renowned Mount Bromo national park, as multiple such fires have erupted during an atypically dry season. The extensive blaze has scorched approximately 176 hectares (435 acres) of the park, situated within East Java province's Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, a premier tourist destination.

Authorities promptly suspended park entry on Saturday, with park chief Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha announcing that the closure would persist until further notice. Hundreds of fire fighters, disaster management experts, police officers, soldiers, park wardens, and volunteers have been deployed to contain the inferno. Helicopters and drones have been utilized to aid in the firefighting efforts, while personnel have constructed firebreaks to impede the fire's progression.

Nugraha acknowledged that the challenging terrain, including steep volcanic slopes, has complicated firefighting operations. The Mount Bromo fire follows a series of other reported wildfires across the country.