Bromo Savanna Fire Reaches 80 Hectares

The forest and land fire sweeping through the savanna area of Mount Bromo, East Java, is reported to be spreading. Based on the latest data as of Wednesday night (5/8), the burned area is predicted to have reached 80 hectares. Head of the Probolinggo Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Oemar Sjarief, revealed the figure was obtained from the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Centre (TNBTS). He warned that the extent of the burned land could still increase because the fire is not yet fully extinguished. ‘As of Wednesday night, it was observed that around 80 hectares of savanna have been burned. This area could grow as the fire has not yet been put out and hotspots remain,’ Oemar said in Probolinggo on Thursday (6/8). Initial indications of the fire were detected on Tuesday (4/8) through the Ministry of Forestry’s Forest and Land Fire Monitoring System (SiPongi+). NASA-MODIS satellite data captured a hotspot with a medium confidence level, which was then followed up with a ground check to begin extinguishing operations. Firefighting efforts on the ground are facing severe obstacles due to the steep terrain and rugged hills. In addition, dry vegetation such as mountain pines, ferns, and shrubs, coupled with strong winds and limited water sources, have caused the fire to spread rapidly. Personnel have been forced to supply water in stages using tanker trucks to accessible points. To accelerate the response, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has deployed a water-bombing helicopter brought in directly from Palangka Raya. This air support is expected to reach hotspots on slopes that are difficult for ground personnel to access. The Head of the Forest Fire Control Centre for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara regions, Bambang Setyo Antoko, stated that the firefighting strategy is being continuously adapted to the dynamic field conditions. ‘Our personnel are focusing on sectors with the highest potential for spread so that the fire’s propagation can be suppressed as quickly as possible,’ he explained. The integrated operation involves joint personnel from the Probolinggo BPBD, East Java BPBD, Perhutani, the military and police, TNBTS, volunteers, and local communities. The Ministry of Forestry has also affirmed its commitment to strengthening early detection systems and cross-agency collaboration to prevent wider ecological damage in the conservation area.