Indonesia deploys 43 helicopters as El Nino fuels Bromo and Sumatra fires

Mountbromo,UPDATED: Aug 10, 2026 17:08 IST

Indonesia has stepped up efforts to tackle a growing number of wildfires across the country, deploying 43 helicopters along with hundreds of firefighters and disaster personnel as blazes spread through a popular national park in East Java and peatlands in Sumatra during an unusually dry season, officials said on Monday.

More than 107,000 hectares of forests and other land have been burned across the Southeast Asian nation, according to Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago. Authorities said the situation could worsen as El Nino strengthens during the peak dry season, while weather conditions have limited options such as cloud-seeding.

The biggest fire is in Bromo Tengger Semeru Park in East Java, where around 743 hectares have been scorched. Authorities have shut the park to visitors until further notice. The fire has spread across dry grassland, vegetation and protected edelweiss flowers, and has reached the Penanjakan area, a popular viewpoint for tourists visiting Mount Bromo. No injuries or evacuations have been reported.

Chaniago said cloud-seeding is considered one of the most effective ways to help firefighters by triggering rainfall through the dispersal of salt particles into suitable clouds. However, he said scientific monitoring had "found no rain-bearing clouds suitable for weather-modification operations through August 18," making the effort difficult. He spoke after a meeting in Jakarta with ministers and agency chiefs dealing with wildfires.

With cloud-seeding not possible because of unfavourable weather, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said while visiting Mount Bromo on Sunday that "we are relying solely on water bombing and ground firefighting teams," and urged people to avoid actions that could trigger fresh blazes, including throwing away cigarette butts and clearing land by burning.

Elsewhere, more than 50 hectares of peatland have burned in Jambi province on Sumatra island, causing thick haze in some areas and raising concerns over air quality. The biggest fire has been reported in Sungai Gelam village in Muaro Jambi district, where dozens of hectares of palm oil plantations owned by local residents have been destroyed. The blaze has been burning since Wednesday. Around 300 firefighters and disaster personnel have been deployed there, but deep peat soil, limited water supply, difficult access and strong winds have made the operation harder, even with three helicopters involved in aerial firefighting.

Forest and peat fires are a recurring problem in Indonesia and often affect nearby countries. Malaysia has reported unhealthy air quality in parts of Sarawak, with officials saying winds were carrying smoke from hot spots in neighbouring areas. In Singapore, authorities warned that prevailing south-easterly winds could carry smoke towards the city-state while dry conditions continue. Chaniago said, "We must uphold the nation's credibility by showing that we can bring these fires under control." Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency has said August and September are likely to be the most critical months, as dry vegetation and strong winds create conditions for fires to spread quickly. Wildfires in Indonesia are often started illegally by plantation owners or traditional farmers clearing land for planting.

Indonesia is facing a widening wildfire challenge in East Java and Sumatra, with authorities relying on helicopters and ground teams as dry weather and a lack of rain-bearing clouds complicate the response during what is expected to be the most critical phase of the fire season.

With PTI Inputs

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