Wildfires Spread Across Indonesia, Shut Down East Java National Park

Indonesian authorities are battling a surge of wildfires across the archipelago, with the largest blaze burning through a popular national park in East Java and forcing its closure to tourists.

More than 107,000 hectares of forest and other land have been scorched nationwide as of Monday, according to Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago. Hundreds of firefighters, along with 43 helicopters, have been deployed to contain the fires.

The most significant fire is in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, where around 743 hectares have been burned. The flames have consumed dry grassland, vegetation, and protected edelweiss flowers, and have spread to the Penanjakan area, a popular viewpoint for visitors to Mount Bromo.

Park authorities closed the site to visitors on Saturday, and the shutdown will remain in effect until further notice, said park chief Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha. The closure has hit local livelihoods, as tourist vehicle driver Suryadi noted: "The impact of this fire is economic, because tourists cannot come while the national park is closed."

Firefighting efforts involve hundreds of personnel, including police, soldiers, park rangers, and volunteers. Helicopters and drones are assisting, and crews are building firebreaks to slow the spread. Difficult terrain, including steep volcanic slopes, has hampered ground operations.

Wildfires have also been reported in other fire-prone regions, including Riau, Jambi, and South Sumatra on Sumatra island, and Central and South Kalimantan on Borneo. In Central Java's Banyumas Regency, a fire sparked by land-clearing spread rapidly due to dry conditions. A separate blaze in West Java's Mount Gede Pangrango National Park led to temporary trail closures.

Indonesia's meteorological agency attributes the rapid spread to strong winds and extremely dry vegetation, with August and September expected to be the most critical months. The El Niño weather pattern, combined with seasonal dry winds from Australia, has heightened fire risk. Many fires are believed to be started illegally for land clearing.