Mount Bromo remains closed as authorities assess wildfire losses

The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) authority has begun assessing the environmental and economic losses resulting from recent forest and land fires in the Mount Bromo area of East Java. Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha, head of TNBTS, stated that calculations are underway following the completion of initial firefighting efforts by a joint team including the military, police, and regional disaster management agencies.

Due to the ongoing fire management and cooling processes, the Bromo caldera remains closed to the public. This closure prevented traditional Independence Day ceremonies from being held in the area on August 17. Authorities noted that residual embers and smoke still pose safety risks, and the area is currently restricted to firefighting and recovery operations only.

The economic impact is already being felt, with 3,445 tourists having submitted requests for refunds due to the area's closure, which has been in effect since August 8.