Bromo Forest Fire Management Optimises Land Routes Due to Strong Winds
Forest and land fires (Karhutla) in the Mount Bromo area, which previously expanded and approached the Bromo Hillside location in the Jemplang, Ngadas, Malang Regency area on Saturday night (12/9), are now reported to be subsiding. Nevertheless, a joint team remains on alert and is optimising firefighting efforts via land routes.
The firefighting efforts are being carried out by a joint team involving the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD Jatim), Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS), Malang Regency BPBD, TNI, Polri, Manggala Agni, and local residents. The team has deployed fire engine water tanks to reach remaining active hotspots.
As of Sunday afternoon (13/9), remaining hotspots were observed in the Jemplang, Watu Gede, and Gunung Kursi areas. However, field officers are facing significant challenges due to the remote location and extremely steep terrain.
The Head of East Java BPBD, Gatot Soebroto, conducted direct inspections ranging from the sea of sand, Bukit Teletubbies, and Watu Gede to the Jemplang access road to ensure the current situation. Gatot explained that aerial firefighting using water-bombing helicopters has been forced to halt.
“In line with the warning from the BMKG, several areas, including this Bromo region, are currently experiencing strong winds with speeds reaching 19 knots. At this speed, we cannot perform water bombing operations,” Gatdo stated on Sunday (13/9).
In addition to the strong winds, the dispersal of volcanic ash from Mount Semeru towards the Ranupani area is also a factor hindering helicopter flight safety. According to the BMKG release, residents of East Java are advised to be wary of strong winds over the next three days, with maximum speeds reaching 48 km/h, significantly higher than the normal range of 10-20 km/h.
Gatot warned that these strong winds pose a high risk of reigniting hotspots. “What we must watch out for is the embers that have not completely died out; they could ignite again due to the strong gusts of wind,” he emphasised.
The Head of TNBTS, Rudijatna Tjahja, stated that they have taken decisive action by closing all tourist routes in the Mount Bromo area since Saturday (12/9). This decision was made to guarantee the health and safety of visitors.
“Smoke and airborne particles from the fire could affect the health of visitors. Furthermore, reduced visibility could also have a negative impact on tourist safety,” explained Rudijatna.
To date, the joint team continues to conduct close monitoring and wetting of high-risk areas to ensure the fire does not spread to other vegetation.