Forestry Ministry continues cooling operations at Bromo fire site to ensure no remaining embers
The Forestry Ministry is continuing cooling and sweeping operations in the burnt area of the Mount Bromo forest and land fire within Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java to ensure no embers remain that could reignite the blaze.
“Cooling is focused on points that still have the potential to retain heat so that embers are completely extinguished and do not spread again to parts of the area that have not yet been affected,” said Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement at the Forestry Ministry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, in a written statement received in Probolinggo on Monday.
After nearly two weeks of operations, Manggala Agni from the Forest Fire Control Centre for the Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara Region, together with the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park Centre, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the National Police, the Regional Disaster Management Agency, volunteers and local communities are still monitoring and wetting the burnt area.
“Vigilance is being maintained because the previous fire affected savanna vegetation, mountain cypress, ferns, shrubs and a fairly thick layer of leaf litter,” he said.
He said these conditions allow embers to survive even though flames are no longer visible. Teams are also watching for local dust devils that can lift light material and potentially carry embers to other areas, and the handling of the Bromo fire provides important lessons for strengthening forest and land fire prevention ahead of the dry season.
“Bromo provides one important lesson: the fire may already be under control but the threat of forest and land fires is not over. Prevention must be strengthened at the site level, and area managers need to continue strengthening community involvement, not only in fire prevention but also in national park management,” he said.
According to him, the community is the party closest to the area, often the first to know of any disturbance, and at the same time the most affected when a fire occurs, so protecting the forest must be done together with the community.
“This year the government is indeed strengthening forest and land fire control ahead of the dry season, including the readiness of Manggala Agni, early detection, patrols and cross-sector coordination,” he said.
Director of Resource Utilisation and Forest Protection, Suharyono, who monitored the activities directly through a forest fire control readiness assembly, expressed appreciation to all personnel who had worked for nearly two weeks in the operation.
“Personnel worked facing difficult terrain and fire conditions. Controlling the fire is not the end of the work. The focus now is ensuring the entire burnt area is truly safe and no embers reignite,” he said.
The Forestry Ministry has placed forest and land fire control as an important part of Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni’s policy to protect forests and public safety. The experience of handling the Bromo fire is part of the evaluation and strengthening of prevention ahead of the dry season.
The steps taken place early detection, rapid response and collaborative strength at the site level as the key to preventing fires from developing into wider ecological damage. Strengthening the readiness of Manggala Agni personnel and equipment is also a concern of the Forestry Minister in facing forest and land fires in 2026.