Indonesia closes all access to Mount Bromo as wildfire expands

JAKARTA – Indonesia has closed Mount Bromo national park in East Java for all tourist activities, its operator said late on Aug 8 as a wildfire, burning since Aug 3, expanded in its caldera area.The closure took effect from the evening of Aug 8 for an undetermined duration, the park operator said on its official Instagram page.The raging fire has burned an area of around 176ha at Mount Bromo, an active volcano that is a popular tourist destination known for its “sand sea” caldera. The wildfire has expanded from around 60ha on Aug 6.“This closure is a crucial step to maintain the safety of visitors, staff and people in the surrounding areas,” the operator said, adding that people who have bought entrance tickets will be able to reschedule visits or seek a refund.East Java’s disaster mitigation agency said the authorities are deploying water-bombing helicopters and water-spraying drones to bolster efforts to extinguish the fire.Footage uploaded by the park operator on social media showed fire spreading across the slopes of the mountain overnight.The authorities have not declared what caused the fire, and no casualties have been reported. REUTERS