Nearly 1,500 Personnel Battle Wildfires Across Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park

PROBOLINGGO – The forest and land fires (Karhutla) in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) area continue to be handled intensively following the spread of the fire from Bukit Cinta toward Bukit Kingkong and the area around Seruni Point. Commander of Korem 083/Baladhika Jaya, Colonel Inf. Wahyu Ramadhanus Suryawan, S.Sos., M.M.S., M.Han., who also serves as Commander of the Karhutla Response Sector for the Korem 083/Bdj area, confirmed that all available forces continue to be deployed to control the fire and prevent it from spreading further.

“We are continuing to maximize firefighting efforts. The fire from Bukit Cinta has spread to Bukit Kingkong. At around 3:30 a.m., flames were also seen reaching the lower part of Seruni Point,” said the Danrem. In addition to visible flames, teams are also monitoring hotspots that could trigger new fires, particularly as strong winds and dry vegetation may cause the flames to jump to other areas.

To reach locations that are difficult to handle from the ground, water-bombing operations have once again been strengthened. As of the morning, at least three helicopter sorties had been conducted to drop water on fire-affected areas. Danrem explained that the TNBTS terrain, dominated by steep slopes and high-altitude areas, presents a significant challenge, making aerial operations an important component in accelerating fire control.

On the ground, nearly 1,500 personnel, together with local communities, continue to carry out firefighting, cooling operations, monitoring, and efforts to prevent hotspots from re-emerging. All elements are working under integrated coordination while prioritizing personnel safety. “We will continue to adjust our forces according to developments on the ground and pursue the firefighting targets according to plan,” said the Danrem.

Aerial operations are also being conducted with flight safety as a key consideration. Weather conditions and fog remain important factors, both when helicopters travel to operational areas, collect water, and return to base. “We hope weather conditions will support the operation so that it can run optimally. Flight safety must remain the priority,” stressed Colonel Inf. Wahyu Ramadhanus.

Meanwhile, the affected area is temporarily estimated to have reached more than 900 hectares and continues to be updated based on monitoring results from teams in the field. Korem 083/Baladhika Jaya, together with all elements of the Karhutla Task Force, will continue to strengthen ground and aerial firefighting operations, hotspot monitoring, and preventive measures to ensure the fire does not spread further across the TNBTS area. ::::