Shafaqna Pakistan: Indonesia has closed Mount Bromo National Park in East Java to all tourist activities after a wildfire that has been burning since Monday spread further across the volcano’s caldera, the park operator said.
The closure took effect on Saturday evening and will remain in place indefinitely, according to a statement posted on the park’s official Instagram account.
The fire has so far scorched around 176 hectares (435 acres) of Mount Bromo, an active volcano and popular tourist attraction renowned for its vast “sand sea” caldera. The affected area has expanded sharply from about 60 hectares reported on Thursday.
The park operator said the closure was necessary to protect visitors, staff and residents of surrounding areas. Tourists who had already purchased entry tickets will be allowed to reschedule their visits or request refunds.
East Java’s disaster mitigation agency said authorities are deploying water bombing helicopters and water spraying drones to bolster efforts to extinguish the fire.
Footage uploaded by the park’s operator on social media showed fire spreading across the slopes of the mountain overnight.
Authorities have not declared what caused the fire, and there have been no casualties reported.
Source: Dunya News
