Tourism Ministry Urges Stricter SOPs to Prevent Bromo Fires

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Tourism has urged the Mount Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) Center in East Java to tighten standard operating procedures (SOPs) and impose strict sanctions on visitors who violate regulations. However, amid the vast savanna landscape, the effectiveness of on-site officer supervision and the daily visitor quota limit of 2,752 tourists are now being tested to ensure these rules do not become mere formalities.

"The Ministry of Tourism is urging the TNBTS Authority to strictly enforce regulations and SOPs for the public and visitors to the Mount Bromo tourism destination, and to impose firm sanctions on violators to create a deterrent effect," said Ministry of Tourism Spokesperson, Nia Niscaya, in Jakarta on Friday, September 18, 2026.

The Ministry of Tourism is pushing the TNBTS Authority to implement destination carrying capacity by limiting the Bromo visitor quota to 2,752 tourists per day. Additionally, tourists are advised to book tickets through official channels and always pay attention to the latest information from management.

According to the Ministry, this quota policy can be applied at all entry points, ranging from Cemorolawang in Probolinggo to Wonokitri in Pasuruan.

These efforts come as the Ministry of Tourism identifies human negligence and natural factors as frequent causes of fires in the Mount Bromo tourism area. Therefore, high vigilance and strict supervision of SOP implementation for visitors are required.

"Human negligence factors, such as the case of visitors using flares for pre-wedding photography which sparked a fire, triggered a major blaze in the Bromo area on September 6, 2023," she said, as quoted by Antara.

Besides flare usage, tourists discarding cigarette butts indiscriminately in the savanna area or forgetting to extinguish remaining campfires or bonfires are also cited as frequent sources of fires on Mount Bromo.

During the dry season, with extreme hot temperatures accompanied by strong winds, small sparks can quickly spread and grow in the dry savanna grassland, making them difficult to control.

Future strengthening efforts need to focus on prevention through tourist education and strict supervision at fire-prone points. This step also includes enforcing bans on fire-triggering activities and communicating risk information before tourists enter the area.

Area managers are also deemed necessary to strengthen preparedness during vulnerable periods, particularly during the dry season, through field condition monitoring, readiness of initial fire suppression facilities, evacuation routes, procedures for temporary closure of high-risk areas, and rapid coordination with local governments, Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), law enforcement, and related agencies if fire indications are found.

Bromo management needs to be directed toward a system of more disciplined prevention, consistent supervision, and rapid response, rather than merely handling situations after fires occur. This step is important to minimize similar incidents in the future.

The Ministry has prepared technical guidelines for implementing risk management in tourism destinations, which managers can use to conduct risk assessments and map mitigation needs in the destinations they manage.

The Ministry of Tourism has stated its readiness to support the Ministry of Forestry in rehabilitating TNBTS conditions post-fire. This step follows the closure of all Mount Bromo tourism activities from September 12, 2026, until an undetermined date.

Nia encouraged all ministries, local administrations, and tourism industry players to synergize in maintaining the sustainability of community livelihoods in Bromo. This support is crucial for tour guides, jeep drivers, homestay managers, and local MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) actors whose lives depend on this sector. ***