Mount Bromo wildfire burns 127 hectares in Indonesia

A wildfire has burned at least 127 hectares of Mount Bromo National Park on Indonesia's Java island, where authorities are using two water-bombing helicopters to fight the flames.

The fire started Monday near Mount Bromo in East Java, one of Indonesia's most visited tourist destinations. The area has been closed until further notice.

Fire official Bambang Setyo Antoko told AFP that at least 127 hectares of national park land had been razed. He said firefighting efforts were highly dependent on wind conditions.

National park official Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha said the fire was in a steep, cliffside area, making it difficult for firefighters to reach.

The cause of the fire was not known. Bambang said the park was extremely dry as El Nino conditions take hold in Indonesia.

Indonesia's BMKG weather agency has warned that the 2026 dry season will be more intense and longer than usual, with higher wildfire and drought risks partly because of El Nino. The Ministry of Forestry said more than 107,000 hectares of land burned in Indonesia between January and June this year, more than double the area destroyed in forest fires in 2023.