East Java Forestry Service closes Arjuno-Welirang hiking routes due to forest fire
The most important thing is the safety factor, so we are temporarily closing the Arjuno-Welirang hiking routes.
The East Java Forestry Service has announced that hiking routes on Mount Arjuno-Welirang are temporarily closed due to a forest fire in the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park area.
Head of the East Java Forestry Service Jumadi, when confirmed from Malang City on Wednesday, said the closure was imposed to ensure the safety of hikers.
“The most important thing is the safety factor, so we are temporarily closing the Arjuno-Welirang hiking routes,” said Jumadi.
Based on preliminary data from the East Java Forestry Service, the fire in the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park area occurred on Tuesday at 6.30 p.m. Western Indonesia Time in Grid areas 903, 901 and 854, located in Pancalukan Village, Prigen District, Pasuruan Regency.
Information about the fire was received by the Sumber Brantas basecamp from volunteers who saw smoke billowing on the eastern side of Lapangan Kotak.
Then at 9.50 p.m. Western Indonesia Time, the Sumber Brantas basecamp received a report from volunteers at the Kembar 2 peak stating that the fire was observed to have spread to the hiking route via Sumber Brantas.
In addition, officers also carried out sweeps to ensure that no hikers remained un-evacuated.
As of around 5.00 a.m. Western Indonesia Time today, three hotspots were detected based on the forest and land fire monitoring system application.
The hotspots were found above the Pondokan area and around Lembah Kidang.
He said three teams from Sumber Brantas had been dispatched to handle the fire.
“They departed at around 10.30 a.m. Western Indonesia Time and have arrived at Lengkehan,” he said.
Confirmed separately, Head of the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park Technical Implementation Unit Agustiningtyas Marini said the temporary closure of the Mount Arjuno and Welirang hiking routes took effect from today until an unspecified time limit.
The closure is set out in Announcement Letter Number 500.4.6.10/1276/123.7.2/2026.
Agustiningtyas confirmed that her office has prepared a rescheduling mechanism for hikers. “It has been prepared, contact the admin directly,” she said.
Based on a post on the official Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park account, rescheduling requests can be made by contacting 0851-5657-9564.