(Malang/East Java Province—Jakarta, 9th [comprehensive]) Affected by extreme drought caused by a strong El Niño phenomenon, a severe wildfire broke out on Monday (August 3) in a famous national park in Indonesia's East Java province. As of Friday (7th), the fire has destroyed over 120 hectares of park land, an area equivalent to about 180 football fields.
This park, known nationwide for Mount Bromo and the Sea of Sand, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, is now completely closed.
The national park administration and fire authorities said that the fire-affected areas are mainly located on steep cliffs and in valley terrains, making it extremely difficult for ground firefighters to enter on foot; firefighting efforts are highly reliant on aerial operations and wind direction changes. Authorities have dispatched firefighting helicopters and drones in full force for fire suppression.
The authorities suspect the wildfire was triggered by human activities, which quickly got out of control due to the extremely dry weather.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency previously warned that because of the El Niño phenomenon and other factors, this year’s dry season will be stronger and longer than in previous years, with a higher risk of wildfires.
According to data from authorities, by the end of July, more than 70 percent of Indonesian regions have entered the dry season, with parts of East Java having seen dozens of consecutive rainless days.
Statistics from Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry show that, in the first half of this year, over 107,000 hectares of land nationwide have been burned, more than double the total area destroyed by forest fires in 2023.
The Ministry of Public Works noted that there are currently as many as 492 locations nationwide experiencing drought; authorities have implemented several response measures, including emergency response, water resource allocation, and enhanced coordination between central and local governments.
The national park administration and fire authorities said that the fire-affected areas are mainly located on steep cliffs and in valley terrains, making it extremely difficult for ground firefighters to enter on foot; firefighting efforts are highly reliant on aerial operations and wind direction changes. Authorities have dispatched firefighting helicopters and drones in full force for fire suppression.
The authorities suspect the wildfire was triggered by human activities, which quickly got out of control due to the extremely dry weather.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency previously warned that because of the El Niño phenomenon and other factors, this year’s dry season will be stronger and longer than in previous years, with a higher risk of wildfires.
According to data from authorities, by the end of July, more than 70 percent of Indonesian regions have entered the dry season, with parts of East Java having seen dozens of consecutive rainless days.
Statistics from Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry show that, in the first half of this year, over 107,000 hectares of land nationwide have been burned, more than double the total area destroyed by forest fires in 2023.
The Ministry of Public Works noted that there are currently as many as 492 locations nationwide experiencing drought; authorities have implemented several response measures, including emergency response, water resource allocation, and enhanced coordination between central and local governments.