Bromo Fire Handling Requires Integrated Strategy

East Java Deputy Governor Emil Elestianto Dardak has asserted that handling forest and land fires in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) requires the integrated involvement of many parties. This is due to the difficult and extreme terrain characteristics of the Mount Bromo area for field officers. “We are coordinating together because the handling requires cooperation from all parties,” said Emil Dardak during a direct inspection of the affected conditions in Probolinggo Regency on Sunday. Based on temporary monitoring, hotspots are still detected in several strategic locations, including the P30 area in Sumber District, Probolinggo Regency, up to the Penanjakan 1 area. Joint officers are currently focusing on intensive sweeps to ensure no remaining embers could potentially trigger subsequent fires. Preliminary data shows the burned area has reached approximately 520 hectares. The affected vegetation includes typical mountain grasslands and conservation plants, including edelweiss flowers which are an icon of the area. However, the good news is that the fire reportedly did not reach the Watangan Valley or Teletubbies Hill. Given the steep and hilly terrain, the joint team is implementing a combined firefighting strategy. Before deployment, the team develops a plan based on wind direction and vegetation conditions in the field. Emil Dardak acknowledged that the firefighting process is not easy. There are several main obstacles faced by officers in the field. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni has urged the public not to play with fire in forest areas, especially during the peak of the dry season and the El Nino phenomenon. The Minister also emphasised legal proceedings for those who trigger fires in Mount Bromo. The Probolinggo Tourism and Sports Office has confirmed that tourist destinations around Bromo, such as the Glass Bridge and Seruni Point, remain safe to visit despite the forest fires in TNBTS. The East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency cannot yet confirm when Mount Bromo tourism will reopen due to the forest fires spreading to the savanna area and Mount Kursi.