Indonesian authorities have ordered an indefinite closure of Bromo Volcano National Park in East Java after a wildfire that began on 3 August intensified and spread over approximately 1,100 rai. Officials are deploying helicopters to drop water and drones to spray water to extinguish the fire, while tourists can reschedule or request full refunds for their entrance tickets.
Indonesia has temporarily closed access to Mount Bromo and all tourist areas within Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java indefinitely, following a continuously spreading wildfire in the Bromo volcano caldera area.
The closure order took effect at 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, 8 August. The park office stated that the closure aims to allow officials to focus fully on firefighting and to prevent danger to tourists and staff.
Rudijanta Jahya Nugraha, head of Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, said the fire has rapidly spread across the Bromo caldera amid dry weather, increasing the damaged area from about 60 hectares on 6 August to over 176 hectares, approximately 1,100 rai.
Meanwhile, the East Java Disaster Management Office has mobilized personnel from multiple agencies, deploying helicopters and water-spraying drones to help extinguish the fire. Footage from the area shows flames burning along slopes and cliffs near the Tengger caldera ring road.
Officials report the fire has spread to Mount Kursi, another peak within the park, while the Lumajang Disaster Management Office notes flames have reached the B29 viewpoint—also known as the "Land Above the Clouds" in Argosari village—and are moving northward.
Authorities in Lumajang have set up patrols along the border between Lumajang and Probolinggo to prevent the fire from approaching residential areas. Personnel from disaster relief, police, military, park officials, and wildfire volunteers are involved. The B29 tourist area is also closed, allowing visitors only to access a rest point about one kilometer from the summit viewpoint.
Mount Bromo is an active volcano and a major Indonesian tourist attraction, notable for its "sand sea" within the volcanic caldera—a flat plain formed by past eruptions. The park has five entrances covering four districts: Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Malang, and Lumajang.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the wildfire, and so far, there are no reports of deaths or injuries from the incident.
Tourists who purchased advance tickets online for the closed period can reschedule or request refunds by completing a form through the park’s official booking system. No reopening date has been set; the park will remain closed until the situation is safe for visitors.