Experts Emphasise Importance of Strengthening Fire Prevention Systems in Bromo

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Taufan Rahmadi, an expert from the BA Centre for Tourism, believes that mitigation and fire prevention systems must be strengthened in the management of the Mount Bromo tourist destination to ensure the safety of tourists and prevent similar incidents from impacting tourism activities again.

“The recovery of the destination is not enough just by reopening the tourist area. However, the most important thing is to ensure that the area is truly safe and fit to be visited,” Terdapat told ANTARA in Jakarta on Monday.

According to him, tourism handling and recovery policies should be implemented through coordination between local governments as area managers, business actors, associations, and other stakeholders.

Furthermore, Taufan assessed that alternative tourist destination products need to be prepared that remain safe and accessible, so that tourists still receive certainty and protection, while the affected communities and tourism actors still have space to maintain their economic activities.

Regarding the cause of the fire, Taufan stated that the specific cause must await the results of investigations from the relevant authorities and competent parties.

“Bromo is a destination with a very sensitive natural character and ecosystem. Therefore, in my opinion, the approach to safety and risk mitigation must indeed be an integral part of destination management,” he said.

Taufan also emphasised that tourist safety programmes are not enough to merely consist of appeals to tourists, but must encompass a comprehensive destination safety system.

For destination managers, he urged that vigilance and supervision of tourist activities continue to be increased, including ensuring that information is conveyed optimally, implementing activity restrictions if necessary, and clarifying reporting mechanisms.

“The important thing is, do not wait for the fire to grow; in disaster mitigation, the speed of detection, reporting, and responding in the early stages is crucial,” said Taufan.

Satriyo explained that the fire occurred on Thursday (10/9) afternoon at around 16:00 WIB, specifically in the Ngadas Village area, Sukapura District, Probolinggo Regency. The fire was triggered by strong winds and spread towards the Watangan Valley, also known as Teletubbies Hill.