Indonesia Clos es Mount Bromo National Park as Wildfire Burns 176 Hectares in East Java

Indonesian authorities have closed East Java's popular Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park after a wildfire, which broke out on August 3, 2026, scorched 176 hectares of Mount Bromo. Hundreds of emergency personnel are battling the blaze alongside water-bombing helicopters and drones. Efforts are severely hampered by steep volcanic slopes and strong winds. Fueled by an intense El Niño dry season, wildfires have destroyed over 107,000 hectares across Indonesia in the first half of 2026.

Mount Bromo wildfire spread

• ▪A wildfire that broke out on August 3, 2026, has burned approximately 176 hectares of land on Mount Bromo in Indonesia's Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
• ▪No injuries or property damage have been reported as a result of the Mount Bromo wildfire.
• ▪The Mount Bromo wildfire expanded to 176 hectares from an estimated 60 hectares on August 6, 2026.

National park closure

• ▪Indonesian authorities closed all visitor access to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park starting late on August 8, 2026, until further notice.
• ▪Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park operators announced that visitors with prepaid entry permits can reschedule their visits or request a refund.

Firefighting operations deployment

• ▪Indonesian authorities mobilized hundreds of firefighters, disaster management personnel, police, soldiers, park rangers, and volunteers to contain the Mount Bromo fire.
• ▪Firefighting teams deployed water-bombing helicopters and water-spraying drones to douse the flames on Mount Bromo.
• ▪On August 7 and August 8, 2026, two helicopters conducted water drops on the Mount Bromo fire using water sourced from Lake Ranu Regulo.
• ▪Ground crews at Mount Bromo are creating firebreaks and beating out flames using wet leafy branches to prevent the fire from spreading.

Steep terrain access challenges

• ▪Lumajang Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency head Isnugroho stated that firefighting efforts in Argosari Village face challenges including distant water sources and shifting wind directions.
• ▪National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari stated that steep volcanic slopes, thick forests, and strong winds have made the Mount Bromo fire difficult to reach by land.

Dry season fire conditions

• ▪A wildfire in West Java's Mount Gede Pangrango National Park prompted authorities to temporarily close hiking trails to Mount Gede and Mount Pangrango.
• ▪A separate forest fire broke out on August 7, 2026, in Central Java's Banyumas Regency due to land-clearing activities.
• ▪Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency reported that strong winds and extremely dry vegetation are accelerating the spread of the wildfires.

Indonesia El Niño wildfires

• ▪In 2023, a flare lit during a pre-wedding photo shoot sparked a wildfire that destroyed more than 500 hectares of land on Mount Bromo.
• ▪According to official data, fires destroyed over 107,000 hectares of land in Indonesia during the first half of 2026, which is more than double the area burned in all of 2023.
• ▪The El Niño weather pattern combined with seasonal dry winds from Australia has increased the risk of droughts and wildfires across Indonesia.