Mount Bromo Fire Expands as Regional Blazes Intensify

Indonesia is contending with multiple wildfires amid an unusually dry season, with the Mount Bromo fire in East Java now burning about 176 hectares and prompting park closures to visitors. Fighting the blaze involves hundreds of personnel, helicopters, drones, and firebreaks, while steep terrain limits ground operations. Officials say dry conditions and strong winds, driven in part by El Niño and regional winds, are accelerating spread across Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, with more than 107,000 hectares burned in the first half of 2026. Authorities reported fires in Banyumas Regency and Mount Gede Pangrango and noted tourism disruptions. Air assets are being deployed and weather modification measures such as cloud seeding are being considered to reach inaccessible hotspots. Park entrances and tourism activities remain suspended, with refunds offered for tickets already purchased as firefighting continues.