Tahura Raden Soerjo intensifies efforts to extinguish Mount Arjuno fire

The Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park (Tahura) under the East Java Forestry Service continues to focus and intensify efforts to extinguish forest and land fires in the Mount Arjuno-Welirang area, Pasuruan Regency.

“Firefighting teams from various elements have been working to extinguish the fire since yesterday, Wednesday (19/8),” said Head of UPT Tahura Raden Soerjo, Agustiningtyas Marini, via text message received in Pasuruan on Thursday.

In addition, firefighting is also being carried out by Perhutani, the Raden Soerjo Grand Forest Park (Tahura), Jagawana, and the Fire-Conscious Community, who have been deployed to the affected area at the Lapangan Kotak fire point in Pecalukan Village, Prigen District, Pasuruan, to prevent the fire from spreading.

She explained that as of this evening, the joint officers have not yet been able to carry out aerial firefighting using the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency’s (BPBD) water bombing helicopter.

“Water bombing operations have not yet been possible because today’s weather conditions do not yet support aerial firefighting operations,” she said.

Agustiningtyas said that her team has not yet been able to confirm the total area affected by the fire, which has been burning since the early hours of Wednesday (19/8).

She stressed that handling the fire remains the top priority for all parties.

Agustiningtyas added that all hiking routes on Mount Arjuno-Welirang have been completely closed since yesterday, Wednesday (19/8), until an unspecified time.