Indonesia battles growing wildfires as Mount Bromo blaze spreads
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia intensified efforts Monday to combat a growing number of wildfires…
Indonesia is ramping up efforts to tackle a surge of wildfires across the country, deploying aerial resources, ground crews, and personnel in an ongoing battle during an unusually dry season. The most significant blaze is currently raging in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, where approximately 743 hectares (1,836 acres) have been ravaged.
The risk of further forest and land fires is heightened by the combination of dry weather and El Nino conditions, according to the Forestry Ministry. The fire has consumed dry grassland, vegetation, and even the delicate edelweiss flowers within the park, though no casualties or evacuations have been reported thus far. Hundreds of firefighters, soldiers, police officers, park rangers, and volunteers are joining forces to contain the blaze, with three helicopters already conducting water-bombing operations in hard-to-reach areas.
Authorities have closed the national park to visitors until further notice as ground teams perform manual firefighting, cooling measures, patrols, and construct firebreaks to prevent the flames from spreading further. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni emphasized the need for public cooperation, urging citizens to refrain from actions that could potentially ignite new fires, such as discarding cigarette butts or setting land ablaze by burning.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
