Four people died and two suffered severe burns while battling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. The incident occurred as Indonesia faces worsening forest fires and transboundary haze.
Four people have died and two others suffered severe burns while battling a wildfire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in Indonesia's East Java, according to officials. The victims became trapped by thick smoke and fast-moving flames on Thursday.
The blaze erupted in recent days in the Mentigen and Pusung Lingker areas of the national park in East Java’s Probolinggo regency. East Java police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast stated that the victims were part of a 12-member firefighting team consisting of national park personnel, members of a community fire brigade, and local volunteers.
Strong winds fanned the flames, causing the fire to spread quickly through dry vegetation. At about 1:30 p.m., firefighters operating outside the danger zone received an emergency call from colleagues trapped by dense smoke and advancing flames, Abast said. Rescuers later found three people dead and three others suffering severe burns at an evacuation point. One of those with burns died while receiving treatment.
Two volunteers remained hospitalized with serious burn injuries after being transferred to Dr. Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya for specialized treatment. Six others escaped unharmed. Probolinggo police chief Asmida Rizki Siregar noted that the remote mountainous location complicated rescue efforts. She joined emergency crews carrying victims on stretchers for about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) because steep terrain prevented vehicles from reaching the site.
Authorities completed the evacuation late Thursday and have launched an investigation into the deaths, including whether negligence or criminal wrongdoing contributed to the tragedy. Investigators are collecting evidence and interviewing survivors.
This incident follows a major blaze in August that scorched nearly 9 square kilometers (3.5 square miles) of grassland and vegetation in the park, including protected edelweiss flowers.
The deaths occurred as Indonesia intensified efforts to combat forest and land fires, which have worsened this year as El Niño intensifies a prolonged dry season. Contributing factors include land clearance using fire in the Indonesian part of Borneo and regions of Sumatra Island, as well as water shortages hampering firefighters, who have received assistance from Japan.
Indonesia's Forestry Ministry recorded 799 hotspots nationwide as of Thursday evening, up sharply from 372 a day earlier. More than three-quarters were concentrated in six fire-prone provinces on Sumatra and Borneo. The ministry recorded more than 2,020 square kilometers (780 square miles) of burned land between January and July. The independent Nusantara Atlas project estimated that nearly 8,960 square kilometers (3,460 square miles) of land had burned by the end of August.
Toxic haze and smoke have drifted as far as the Philippines, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) away, causing health concerns in neighboring countries. Malaysia ordered hundreds of schools closed in several states on Friday due to deteriorating air quality. Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan rejected calls from some lawmakers to seek compensation from Indonesia, stating the crisis should be addressed through diplomatic engagement and ASEAN mechanisms.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said authorities were investigating companies allegedly linked to Indonesian forest and peatland fires and would pursue action under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act where warranted.
The incident highlights the risks faced by emergency responders in Indonesia's fire-prone regions. The surge in fires has renewed concerns about transboundary haze across Southeast Asia, prompting diplomatic responses from Malaysia and Singapore.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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