Indonesia closes national park as wildfire spreads

Indonesian authorities have sealed access to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on Java Island as firefighters grapple with a week-long wildfire. The blaze has consumed 176 hectares since igniting last Monday near Mount Bromo, a popular tourist spot in East Java. Visitors were barred from entering the park on Saturday. No injuries or property damage have been reported, according to Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Two water-bombing helicopters have been dispatched to combat the flames in hard-to-reach areas due to steep slopes and strong winds. A similar wildfire on Mount Bromo in 2023 destroyed over 500 hectares after a couple lit a flare during a pre-wedding photo shoot. Indonesia is expected to face a more intense and prolonged dry season this year, increasing the risk of wildfires and drought, attributed to the El Nino weather phenomenon, reported by the weather agency BMKG.

Wildfires have already scorched more than 107,000 hectares of land in Indonesia during the first half of this year, more than double the area burned in 2023.