Overview
- A wildfire has destroyed over 120 hectares of land inside Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, with fires concentrated on steep, cliffside slopes that are hard to access.
- Strong winds have fed persistent hotspots on the volcano’s slopes and raised the risk the blaze could spread, officials said.
- Authorities deployed two water‑bombing helicopters and prepared weather modification operations, including cloud seeding, because ground teams cannot safely reach many burning areas.
- Part of the park has been closed to tourists for safety, and nearby communities face health and travel disruption as regional fires produce smoke and haze.
- Separate fires on Sumatra and Borneo have already caused at least one confirmed death and, together with an emerging El Niño dry spell, raise the risk of wider seasonal fires and cross‑border haze.