Bromo Wildfire Expands, Challenging Indonesia’s Emergency Response
- 09 Agt 2026 22:43 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- Mount Bromo wildfire in East Java expanded dramatically, covering 520 hectares of national park land.
- Firefighting teams deployed joint ground personnel and aerial water bombing operations to contain the blaze.
- The blaze crossed the Tengger Caldera Ring Road (JLKT), damaging vast stretches of Bromo's fragile ecosystem.
RRI.CO.ID, Malang – The wildfire at Mount Bromo, East Java, has spread dramatically, with the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) authority reporting that the affected area has reached 520 hectares, up from 176 hectares earlier in the week.
According to TNBTS Head Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, the fire reignited on Saturday night, August 8, 2026, burning not only cliffs but also the savanna surrounding Bromo.
Strong winds accelerated the flames, carrying them from the upper slopes down into dry grasslands and vegetation. The blaze eventually crossed the Tengger Caldera Ring Road (JLKT), igniting savanna grass on the other side, Antara reported.
Field observations on Sunday, August 9, 2026, revealed blackened stretches of grassland, particularly near Jemplang, Malang Regency, East Java. Joint patrol teams continued monitoring the area to ensure no new hotspots emerged, while white smoke was still visible from cliffs in Probolinggo, East Java.
Efforts to contain the fire involved both ground and aerial operations. Helicopters conducted water bombing runs from Ranu Pani, while vehicles carrying joint task force personnel moved in from Jemplang to reinforce firefighting on the Probolinggo side.
Rudijanta noted that frost conditions had also contributed to the fire’s spread, compounding the challenges faced by responders. Despite progress in extinguishing flames, the scale of the damage underscores the vulnerability of Bromo’s ecosystem during the dry season.
The incident highlights Indonesia’s ongoing struggle with wildfire management, the importance of inter-agency disaster response, and the need to protect fragile landscapes like Bromo’s savanna from recurring environmental threats. ***
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