Bromo Fire Under Control, Joint Team Focuses on Cooling Savanna Area
The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) continued the cooling and sweeping process of the burned area in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS), East Java, on Monday (17/8). This step was taken after the forest and land fire (karhutla) that has affected the area since 3 August 2026 was declared successfully brought under control.
The cooling or mopping up stage is being carried out intensively to ensure there are no remaining embers or hidden hotspots that could potentially reignite the fire. This operation involves a joint team from Manggala Agni of the Jabalnusra Forest and Land Fire Control Centre, the TNBTS Central Office, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the Indonesian National Police, the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency, as well as full support from volunteers and local communities.
The Ministry of Forestry emphasised that a high level of vigilance is still required given the characteristics of the burned vegetation, which includes savanna, mountain pine, ferns, and shrubs with a thick layer of leaf litter. The deep litter conditions allow embers to survive beneath the surface even though flames above the ground are no longer visible.
In addition to vegetation factors, field teams are also wary of the emergence of local wind vortices or dust devils. This phenomenon is considered dangerous because it can lift light materials that still contain embers and carry them to green areas that have not yet been affected, thereby triggering new fire spots.
Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, stressed that the fire being under control does not mean the threat of forest and land fires is over.
“Bromo provides one important lesson: the fire may be under control, but the threat of forest and land fires is not over,” said Dwi in his written statement.
In line with this, Director of Resource Utilisation and Forest Protection, Suharyono, stated that the current focus is to ensure total safety in the burned area. He appreciated the hard work of personnel who have struggled for nearly two weeks facing difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions.
Head of the Jabalnusra Forest and Land Fire Control Centre, Bambang Setyo Antoko, added that the success in controlling the fire in Bromo is the result of cross-sector collaboration. Community support in terms of logistics supply, field information, and water access was a crucial factor in accelerating handling at the site level.
The handling of the Bromo fire will serve as a major evaluation material for the Ministry of Forestry to strengthen preparedness ahead of the peak of the 2026 dry season. The government is committed to improving early detection, patrol intensity, and cross-sector coordination to prevent broader ecological damage in the future.