Indonesia closes Mount Bromo park as wildfire grows

Indonesia has shut Mount Bromo national park in East Java after a wildfire ballooned from 60 hectares to nearly 176 hectares in just days.

Park chiefs closed all access on Saturday until further notice, citing safety for visitors, staff and nearby villages. The park sits beside an active volcano that draws thousands of tourists. Anyone who bought tickets during the shutdown can apply for a refund.

Firefighters, soldiers, police, rangers and volunteers began battling the blaze on Sunday, supported by helicopters and drones that drop water and spray mist. Officials say steep slopes, strong winds and thick forests make ground operations difficult. “Air support is vital to reach spots we can’t get to on foot,” said Abdul Muhari of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

The fire is part of a wider crisis this year. Indonesia is in an unusually dry spell linked to El Nino, which warms Pacific waters and dries out Southeast Asia. So far fires have torched 1,070 square kilometres—more than double last year’s total. In 2023, a wedding photo shoot that used flares sparked a 500-hectare blaze on Bromo. With forecasts predicting hotter, drier months ahead, authorities fear the worst may still come.