TNBTS Maximises 'Drone Water Spray' to Tackle Bromo Fire
The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) is maximising the use of a water-spray drone deployed by the East Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) to tackle the ongoing fire in the Mount Bromo area, as it awaits the arrival of a water-bombing helicopter from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
‘We are relying on firefighting from the water drone operated by the East Java BPBD. The water-bombing plan has been discussed with the Head of BNPB and we are waiting for the helicopter to arrive,’ said Head of TNBTS Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha in Bromo on Thursday.
The water-spray drone deployed by BPBD in the firefighting operation has a carrying capacity of 150 litres. He assessed that, given the hilly terrain of the fire area, the equipment can reach a wider area. The mobilisation of joint personnel to reach the hotspots is hampered by the terrain conditions at the location, and he noted that obtaining a water supply in the Bromo area is difficult.
‘We have to fetch water and it takes a relatively long time; a round trip from the fire location to the water source takes about an hour,’ he said.
Rudi stated that based on the latest monitoring, the water-bombing helicopter has already moved to Banjarmasin and will head to Surabaya before proceeding to the Malang area. In addition to the aerial efforts, ground firefighting is being intensified to anticipate the spread of the flames.
Regarding the progress of the disaster response at Mount Bromo, he stated that on Wednesday (5/8) at around 10 p.m. local time, the hotspots were actually no longer visible. However, today at 4 a.m., the fire reappeared. He explained that this condition was possible because there were still embers retaining heat, combined with strong gusts of wind at the location, which reignited the fire and caused it to spread to the cliff walls.
‘Behind me is still Probolinggo, but it is almost approaching the border with Malang,’ he said.
Nevertheless, he noted that the current fire incident is different from the one three years ago, which spread to grassy areas, because the Tengger Caldera Ring Road (JLKT), with a width of 14 to 16 metres, now acts as a firebreak to prevent the wider spread of the flames. TNBTS is optimistic that the involvement of many parties will accelerate the efforts to handle the fire in the Bromo area.
The fire in Bromo, which is within the TNBTS area, occurred on Monday (3/8) at around 5 p.m. local time, precisely in the Bantengan Block, Senduro District, Lumajang Regency. The hotspots were later reported to have spread to Watu Gede, which is located in the administrative area of Probolinggo Regency.