Four firefighters die battling wildfires at Indonesia’s Mount Bromo

Four men have died while fighting wildfires in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Indonesia, as the country continues to battle forest and land fires that have caused hazardous haze across parts of Southeast Asia.

The men were overwhelmed by flames and thick smoke on Thursday, 15 October, the Ministry of Forestry said in a statement on Friday.

Two were national park officers and the other two were security guards who had joined the firefighting effort, according to park spokesman Endrip Wahyutama.

Three men died at the scene, while the fourth died later in hospital. Two other people, a volunteer firefighter and a security guard from a nearby hotel, suffered serious burns and were receiving medical treatment, Endrip said.

The ministry did not disclose the names of the four men who died.

The incident occurred as Indonesian authorities intensified efforts to contain fires in several provinces, with satellite observations showing a sharp rise in hotspots and smoke affecting visibility for firefighting teams.

“This incident serves as a reminder that forest and land fire extinguishing is a high-risk operation,” the Ministry of Forestry said.

Victims identified as park officers and hotel employees

Probolinggo district head Muhammad Haris identified the four men as Sukaris and Hendra Rony Wagiyanata, who worked for Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, and Wisnu Yuda Pratama and Sefriel Ardiansyah, employees of Artotel Bromo Hotel.

The two injured men, Munawi and Suraji, suffered serious burns and were referred to Dr Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya for intensive treatment.

Haris said the district administration would cover their medical costs in coordination with the national park authority. He also offered condolences to the families of the men who died.

According to Haris, 12 people initially went to help extinguish the fire under standard operating procedures. As the blaze spread and winds changed direction, the group split up, leaving six men trapped.

Wildfires have affected the national park in previous years, Haris said, but earlier incidents had not resulted in fatalities.

Hotspots rise as Indonesia battles fires

The deaths occurred amid a wider increase in fire activity across Indonesia. The Ministry of Forestry said satellite-detected hotspots had risen to 799 nationwide by Thursday evening, 15 October, from 372 a day earlier.

Hotspots are satellite detections of unusually high temperatures that can indicate possible fires, but they do not necessarily correspond to individual fires.

Central Kalimantan recorded the largest increase, prompting authorities to strengthen field operations. The province lies on the Indonesian portion of Borneo, an island shared with Malaysia and Brunei. South Sumatra was also among the areas with substantial fire activity.

The ministry expressed particular concern about the area around Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan, an important habitat for endangered orangutans.

Water-bombing operations and cloud seeding intended to encourage rainfall have been hampered by poor visibility caused by smoke, the ministry said.

Several areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan were experiencing air quality ranging from unhealthy to very unhealthy, with some locations reaching hazardous levels.

Authorities advised people to reduce outdoor activities and wear masks when outside if air quality deteriorated further.

Firefighting in Bromo complicated by dry vegetation and strong winds

The latest fatal incident follows a series of fires in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park during the dry season.

In a statement on 13 September, the Ministry of Forestry said a fire had first been detected in the Pengol savannah on 10 September before spreading towards Mount Kursi. Strong winds contributed to the fire’s expansion, and flames later reached the Jemplang area.

Firefighting teams used water tankers, manual tools and mechanical equipment, supported by aerial water-bombing provided by the East Java provincial government.

The ministry said dry vegetation and the potential for strong winds could accelerate the spread of flames, while thick smoke could restrict visibility and hinder firefighting operations.

The ministry temporarily closed tourist access to Mount Bromo from 12 September to allow firefighting work to proceed and protect visitors.

The authorities have also been investigating whether criminal offences were involved in earlier fires in the national park.

On 12 September, the Ministry of Forestry’s law enforcement directorate said it had formed a special team and brought in specialists in forest fires and environmental damage to examine the causes and assess the impact.

Investigators have been gathering field information and examining the circumstances surrounding the fires. The ministry said any legal action would be based on verified facts and evidence.

Police investigate the latest deaths

East Java police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the latest incident. Police spokesman Jules Abraham Abast said investigators had been deployed to examine the scene and question witnesses.

The investigation is expected to establish how the six men became trapped, how the fire spread and what conditions the team faced during the firefighting operation. Authorities have not yet announced its findings.

East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the provincial government would provide compensation of Rp10 million (US$554) to the family of each man who died. She also expressed condolences to the families and paid tribute to the people who had been fighting the fire.

The deaths highlight the dangers faced by park personnel, security staff and volunteers who have joined efforts to contain the fires. With smoke continuing to obstruct firefighting operations in parts of Indonesia, authorities are working to limit the spread of the blazes while investigating their causes.