Fire near Indonesia's Mount Bromo extinguished after 550 hectares burnt, but new hotspots emerge
A person observes flames during wildfires on a hill slope in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in Probolinggo, East Java province, Indonesia, August 9, 2026.
A wildfire that scorched about 550 hectares (1,360 acres) inside Indonesia’s Mount Bromo National Park in East Java has been extinguished, but authorities are battling fresh hotspots around the volcano’s caldera.
The fire began on August 3 and spread across the national park before firefighters brought the main blaze under control. Local disaster management chief Gatot Soebroto said new fires had been detected across roughly 20 hectares near the caldera, with authorities warning that the flames could spread further.
More than 120 personnel, supported by three water-bombing helicopters, drones and fire engines, have been deployed to tackle the remaining hotspots. The difficult volcanic terrain has complicated ground operations.
Mount Bromo, an active volcano and one of Indonesia’s most popular tourist destinations, is renowned for its vast sea-of-sand caldera. The national park has been closed to visitors since Saturday evening as firefighting operations continue.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze but suspect human negligence. Officials said the first flames were detected along a route used by visitors, raising the possibility that a fire had been lit and not properly extinguished.
