540 Joint Personnel Deployed to Boost Fire Handling in the Bromo Area

RRI.CO.ID, Pasuruan –Efforts to combat forest and land fires in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) area, East Java, continue to be strengthened through ground and aerial firefighting operations, as well as the deployment of joint personnel. As of Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 540 joint personnel have been deployed to conduct firefighting, monitoring, patrols, and containment operations to prevent the fires from spreading further.

Joint personnel focused on tackling hotspots between the slopes of Bukit Cinta and Dingkelik in Pasuruan Regency. The units involved included the Indonesian Military (TNI), the Indonesian Police (Polri), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), State-Owned Forestry Corporation (Perhutani), the TNBTS Office, the local fire department, and volunteers.

In that location alone, the fire has burned an estimated 78.69 hectares. Although the vegetation, primarily shrubs, grass, and wild grass, has been successfully extinguished in some areas, new hotspots frequently reappear. Head of the East Java Provincial BPBD Logistics Team, Suprapto, explained the main challenges his team has faced after nearly a week on the ground.

“First, whenever strong winds blow, they cause the fire to spread. We had already extinguished the fire behind me this morning, but after we left to tackle other areas, the strong winds caused it to reignite. Second, regarding water supply, the source is quite far. It takes roughly 30 minutes to an hour just to collect water,” Suprapto explained.

To overcome limited access and rugged terrain, the East Java BPBD deployed a specialized tactical vehicle named the “Komodo,” which is capable of navigating narrow, rough roads. In addition, aerial firefighting operations were mobilized. A representative from the BNPB Disaster Communication Team, Ranti Kartikaningrum, emphasized the importance of water-bombing operations to reach hotspots on steep slopes.

“We can see several hotspots on slopes with very steep inclines, around 80 to 90 degrees,” Ranti stated. “These conditions have prompted the joint task force and BNPB to implement strategic solutions, including the use of water bombing to extinguish fires on these inaccessible cliffs.”

Overall, the total area affected by forest and land fires across the TNBTS region has reached 921.42 hectares, spanning the districts of Pasuruan and Probolinggo. Despite facing challenging terrain, Ranti added, the goal is to complete fire suppression within the next two days so that local tourism and the economy in Bromo can recover.