Indonesia is escalating its response to a growing number of wildfires across the archipelago, deploying helicopters, hundreds of firefighters, and disaster personnel. The blazes are spreading through a popular national park and peatlands during an unusually dry season, exacerbated by strengthening El Nino conditions.
In East Java province, the largest fire is burning within Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, where approximately 743 hectares (1,836 acres) have been scorched. Flames have spread to the Penanjakan area, a well-known tourist viewpoint for Mount Bromo. The fire has consumed large areas of dry grassland and vegetation, including protected edelweiss flowers.
No injuries or evacuations have been reported. The park has been closed to visitors until further notice. To combat the blaze, authorities have deployed at least three helicopters for water-bombing operations over hard-to-reach hot spots. Ground crews are engaged in manual firefighting, cooling operations, patrols, and constructing firebreaks to halt the fire's advance.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni visited the park Sunday, stating, "We continue to coordinate efforts to address and anticipate forest and land fires." He urged the public to avoid activities that could ignite new fires, such as discarding cigarette butts or clearing land by burning.
Elsewhere, over 50 hectares (124 acres) of peatland have burned in Jambi province on Sumatra island, creating choking haze in some areas and raising concerns about air quality. The largest fire in Jambi, which began Wednesday, has destroyed dozens of hectares of oil palm plantations owned by local residents in the village of Sungai Gelam. About 300 firefighters and disaster personnel are battling this fire, but efforts are complicated by deep peat soil, limited water, difficult access, and strong winds, despite aerial support from three helicopters.
Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency has indicated that August and September are expected to be the most critical months for fires due to dry vegetation and strong winds that facilitate rapid spread. Forest fires are a recurring issue on Sumatra and Borneo islands during dry spells, often started intentionally by those clearing land for plantations or farming, periodically causing hazardous haze across Southeast Asia.