Indonesia battles wildfires as dry season fuels new threats

• A wildfire on Mount Bromo in Indonesia has been extinguished.
• Indonesia is experiencing an unusually dry season, increasing the risk of new fires.
• The largest blaze is in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, scorching about 743 hectares.
• The park has been closed to visitors due to the fire.
• Over 50 hectares of peatland have burned in Jambi province on Sumatra island.
• Authorities are deploying helicopters and hundreds of personnel to combat the fires.

Indonesia is intensifying efforts to combat a growing number of wildfires across the archipelago, deploying helicopters, 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. The largest blaze is burning in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, where about 743 hectares (1,836 acres) have been scorched. Dry weather and strengthening El Nino conditions have raised the risk of more forest and land fires during the peak dry season. The fire has burned large areas of dry grassland and vegetation, spreading to a popular tourist viewpoint for Mount Bromo. The park has been closed to visitors until further notice. In Jambi province on Sumatra island, more than 50 hectares (124 acres) of peatland have burned, causing haze and raising concerns about air quality. Deep peat soil, limited water supplies, difficult access, and strong winds have complicated firefighting efforts in both locations. August and September are expected to be the most critical months for fires, which are often started illegally to clear land for planting.