BPBD Tackles Bromo Tourist Area Fire with Water Bombing

The Lumajang Regency Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) is conducting intensive operations to tackle forest and land fires that have struck the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) area. The hotspots are located in the B29 Peak tourist area, Argosari Village, Senduro District, Lumajang Regency, East Java.

Head of BPBD Lumajang, Isnugroho, stated that the Emergency Drought and Forest Fire Post’s Rapid Reaction Team was deployed to the location on Saturday (8/8). The firefighting efforts are focused on the hotspots in the Bukit Sentigi Renteng and Ledok Bedor areas.

Anticipatory measures had already been taken since Thursday (6/8) through routine monitoring to prevent the fire from spreading to residential areas or wider vegetation in Lumajang. On Saturday, the team arrived at Ledok Bedor to conduct direct firefighting.

The operation involves an integrated team from various elements. Firefighting is carried out via two methods: ground and air. On the ground, officers use manual techniques such as creating firebreaks and beating the flames with wet branches. Trees along alternative routes are also being cut down to break the chain of fire spread.

Given the difficult terrain, the firefighting operation is reinforced with water bombing. Two helicopters have been deployed to conduct water bombing, sourcing water from Ranu Regulo. This aerial operation has been ongoing since Friday (7/8) and continued into Saturday.

Isnugroho added that field personnel must return to the post by 4:00 PM WIB daily for safety reasons as conditions become dark. The TNBTS authority is still calculating the total area affected, while the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing by the relevant authorities.

The Lumajang Regency Government is committed to continuously strengthening cross-sector coordination to ensure the fire is completely extinguished and does not threaten the national park ecosystem or the safety of the local community.