Seven Mountains in East Java on Fire, Government Tightens Forest Fire Control
The Ministry of Forestry and various related agencies are continuously tightening efforts to handle forest and land fires (karhutla) after numerous reports emerged of seven mountains experiencing fires in the East Java region.
“In this handling, we are collaborating with various parties, including the Ministry of Forestry, BNPB, the TNI, the National Police, local governments, and the surrounding community to collectively control these fires,” said the Director General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Forestry, Dyah Murtimingsih, at Graha Sabha Pramana UGM on Tuesday (15/09/2026).
Dyah emphasised that of the seven locations currently burning, some are within conservation areas, while others require verification to determine whether they fall inside or outside forest zones.
“The cause of these fires still needs further investigation. However, the largest factor is usually human intervention, which often serves as the primary trigger for these fires,” said Dyah.
When asked about the most severe points among the seven mountains, including the Bromo area which previously experienced fires in August, the ministry stated that they would continue to conduct in-depth data verification.
The current surge in fires is also influenced by the impact of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which occurs in five-year cycles. The longer and drier dry season increases the potential for fires and makes them more likely to spread rapidly if ignited.
As a mitigation step, field control is being attempted through Weather Modification Operations (OMC), or artificial rain. However, the effectiveness of OMC is highly dependent on climatic conditions and the availability of cloud seeding agents in the affected areas. If cloud seeds are unavailable, weather engineering cannot be performed to its maximum potential.
Responding to concerns regarding the widespread distribution of carbon dioxide smoke, the Ministry of Forestry stated that further data checks are necessary to confirm the source of the distribution.
The government is committed to conducting a thorough evaluation and taking firm legal action. Legal measures will be taken against any party, whether individuals or corporations, proven to have intentionally carried out forest and land burning.