Bromo Forest Fire Forces Closure of Three Tourist Access Points

A forest and land fire was reported to have struck the Bantengan Block area of Mount Bromo on Monday afternoon. In response, the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Agency has closed three tourist access points to the area. The closures affect the Jemplang and Coban Trisula entrances in Malang Regency, as well as the Senduro entrance in Lumajang Regency, East Java. Head of the Agency, Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, explained that the closure was implemented to maximise the firefighting process and to guarantee the safety of all visitors to the Bromo area. ‘To ensure the smooth operation of firefighting efforts and with consideration for visitor safety, tourist visits to Bromo via the Jemplang, Coban Trisula, and Senduro entrances are closed to visitors,’ Rudi stated on Monday evening. According to initial information from the agency, the fire in the Bantengan Block was detected around 5:00 PM local time. The closure of the three access points came into effect at 10:00 PM, for an undetermined period. Rudi added that despite the three entrances being closed, the public can still access the Mount Bromo area through other routes, namely Cemoro Lawang in Probolinggo Regency and Wonokitri in Pasuruan Regency. However, visitors entering through these two gates are only permitted to reach the Sea of Sand area and are prohibited from travelling further into the Savana region. He also urged the public, tourists, and tourism service providers to help preserve the national park area by complying with all applicable rules during their visit, particularly regarding the use of fire for collective safety, security, and comfort. Separately, the agency’s public relations officer, Endrip Wahyutama, said it was not yet possible to confirm the total area of the Bantengan Block affected by the fire, as the team on the ground is still focused on the extinguishing process. ‘Not yet, the team is currently focusing on the extinguishing process. Once the fire is successfully put out and the situation is declared safe, a team will conduct measurements to determine the affected area,’ Endrip explained. Meanwhile, the Head of Emergency and Logistics at the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency, Satriyo Nurseno, confirmed that the forest and land fire in the Bromo area has caused no fatalities, while the extent of the damage is still being recorded. ‘Zero casualties. The impact is still being assessed,’ Satriyo said. Personnel from the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency and the Probolinggo Regency Disaster Management Agency have coordinated with the national park agency to handle the fire. National park personnel on the ground are also conducting manual firefighting efforts using the beating method.