Wildfire at Indonesia’s Mount Bromo mostly contained as smoke forces school closures

Firefighters in Indonesia have largely contained a wildfire that ravaged a large portion of Mount Bromo, a national park on the island of Java, though several hot spots remain under attack, authorities said. According to Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, head of the park in East Java province, the blaze has scorched approximately 900 hectares (2,224 acres) of dry grassland, vegetation, and protected edelweiss flowers as of Tuesday.

The volcanic landscape of Mount Bromo, a top tourist attraction in Indonesia, has been closed off as firefighters strive to prevent the fire from spreading within the conservation zone. Active hot spots persist in four locations: Watangan, Argowulan, Dingklik-Pakis, and Bincil-Mungal. Efforts are being made on the ground and through aerial operations to quell the flames and ensure they do not flare up again, according to Nugraha.

This wildfire comes amid a broader wildfire crisis in Indonesia during the dry season. As of Monday, the National Disaster Management Agency reported that nearly 48,900 hectares (121,000 acres) of peatland had burned across six fire-prone provinces, with the most significant affected area in West Kalimantan on Borneo island. In response, the provincial capital of Pontianak has halted in-person classes in schools due to deteriorating air quality and a surge in respiratory illnesses.