Wildfire forces closure of Mount Bromo access route in Indonesia

Mount Bromo, a popular hiking spot in Indonesia, is an active volcano. Photo: Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.

PROBOLINGGO, Indonesia — A wildfire tore through grassland inside Indonesia's Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on the island of Java on Thursday, forcing authorities to shut one of the main tourist access routes to Mount Bromo as firefighters worked through the night to contain the blaze.

The fire broke out around 4:30 p.m. local time in the Pengol savanna area, in East Java's Probolinggo district, and spread rapidly as strong winds pushed flames through dry vegetation toward the Watangan Valley, also known as the Teletubbies Hills area, a popular photo spot for visitors to the volcanic park.

Park management, known as Balai Besar TNBTS, closed the Jemplang entrance in neighboring Malang district from Thursday night to give firefighting teams room to operate and to keep tourists out of harm's way. The savanna area of Watangan Valley was also closed. Visitors could still reach Bromo through two other entrances, in Cemorolawang, Probolinggo, and Wonokitri, Pasuruan, though access there was restricted to the Sea of Sand, a stretch of volcanic plain near the base of the mountain.

Joint teams from the park authority, the local disaster mitigation agency, the army, police and volunteers were deployed to the site, using water trucks and pumps to douse hot spots and stop the fire from spreading further. Amateur video circulating online showed large flames sweeping across the parched grassland.

"It's true, a fire has again occurred in the Bromo tourist area. Together with other elements, we returned to the site today for firefighting efforts," said Iptu Djuwantoro Setyowadi, the police chief for the Sukapura subdistrict, confirming the blaze.

He said officers were focused on containing the fire's movement, including by spraying affected points with pumps and 1,000-liter water tanks, though strong winds and dry conditions were complicating efforts.

A park spokesperson, Endrip Wahyutama, said late Thursday that the cause and origin point of the fire had not yet been determined, as crews remained focused on bringing the flames under control. "For details on the starting point or cause of the fire, we cannot yet provide that information because officers are still handling and monitoring the situation on the ground," he said, adding that the park authority was coordinating with multiple agencies to support the response.

Firefighting and monitoring operations continued into Friday morning. Authorities have not said when the Jemplang access route might reopen and have urged residents and visitors to follow official updates on the fire and on the status of tourist access to the mountain.

Mount Bromo, an active volcano and one of Indonesia's most visited natural landmarks, draws large numbers of domestic and foreign tourists each year for its sunrise views over the Sea of Sand. Grassland fires driven by seasonal dry winds are a recurring hazard in the park during the dry season.