Forest and Land Fires Ravage Mount Gombak in Ponorogo, 15 Hectares Scorched

Forest and land fires (karhutla) swept through the Mount Gombak area, also known as Mount Nglarangan, in Karanggayam Hamlet, Sukosari Village, Kauman District, Ponorogo Regency, from Monday afternoon (13/7) until the early hours of Tuesday (14/7). Approximately 15 hectares of land were reported scorched.

Head of the Ponorogo Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Masun, stated that the fire was first detected around 3 p.m. Western Indonesia Time on Monday. "The fire originated from the lower slopes and then spread upwards. The cause of the fire is still under investigation," Masun said on Tuesday (14/7).

The flames initially burned the northern side of Mount Gombak before spreading to the west, east, and eventually parts of the southern side of the mountain area. A joint task force struggled for approximately eight hours to extinguish the fire. The firefighting effort was carried out manually, involving personnel from BPBD, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the State Forestry Corporation (Perhutani), volunteers, village officials, and local residents, using simple tools such as branch beaters and creating firebreaks to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas.

"The firefighting operation began around 4 p.m. Western Indonesia Time and the fire was only completely extinguished around midnight. Officers battled the blaze for approximately eight hours," he said. The flames came within 100 metres of residential areas. However, Masun confirmed that the fire did not spread to residents’ houses. "The fire did not reach the residential areas. Nevertheless, officers continue to monitor the situation to anticipate the emergence of new hotspots," he stated.

In addition to Mount Gombak, the Ponorogo BPBD also recorded several other forest and land fire incidents in other areas, including the districts of Sampung, Sambit, and Balong. The BPBD has urged the public to remain vigilant during the dry season by refraining from burning land or leaving sources of fire unattended in open areas. "If it is absolutely necessary to start a fire for any purpose, ensure that the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the location," Masun said.