All Mountain Hiking Routes in Central Java Closed to Prevent Forest Fires

SEMARANG — Heru Djatmika, head of the Central Java Provincial Environment and Forestry Agency, said the agency issued a letter on Wednesday (21 October 2026) requesting the closure of hiking routes on all mountains in Central Java. The measure is intended to prevent forest and land fires, such as those already reported on Mount Lawu and Mount Sumbing.

“We issued a letter on the 21st (of October 2026) to all hiking-route managers asking them to close. This is a request, not merely an appeal, to the managers of hiking routes on every mountain in Central Java,” Heru said in an interview on Friday (23 October 2026).

He added that the letter had been sent to the heads of the Grand Forest Park (Tahura), national park offices and Perhutani, which manage hiking routes on mountains in Central Java. Copies were also sent to the Central Java Governor, the Central Java Police Chief and the commander of Diponegoro Military Regional Command IV.

According to Heru, the hiking-route closures took effect once the letter was issued. He said the main reason for the request was the forest and land fires on Mount Lawu and Mount Sumbing. “The indications are that they happened because of human error,” he said.

He said that when fires hit the Mount Sumbing area, officers also had to evacuate 152 hikers. “We are concerned that if the mountain routes remain open, hikers could be up there when a forest fire breaks out, and there could be fatalities,” he said.

Heru said that, since negligence was suspected in the fires on Mount Lawu and Mount Sumbing, hikers could also have been a contributing factor. “Hikers might cook up there, then fail to put the fire out carefully or thoroughly, which could cause a fire to start,” he said.

Heru said no end date had been set for the closures. Hiking would be permitted again once the Central Java Environment and Forestry Agency issued a notice announcing the reopening.

“Once the rainy season has become stable, we may issue another letter to reopen the hiking routes,” Heru said.

The fire on Mount Lawu has been burning since 15 October 2026. Heru said two fire hotspots were still active. After the Karanganyar Regency Government declared an emergency response status, water-bombing operations were added to firefighting efforts on Lawu’s slopes from Monday (19 October 2026).

However, the fire has yet to be extinguished. Heru said dry weather and strong winds were making the firefighting effort more difficult and expanding the burned area. At least 490 hectares on the slopes of Mount Lawu have been affected.

The fire on Mount Sumbing was first detected on Monday (19 October 2026), and the Wonosobo Regency Government has also declared an emergency response status. Water-bombing operations have not yet begun there because two helicopters sent by the Indonesian Military are still being used to tackle the fire on Lawu.

More than 300 hectares in the Mount Sumbing area have so far been affected by the fires.