Four killed and two seriously injured during wildfire suppression in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Indonesia
Four people were killed and two others seriously injured during wildfire suppression efforts at Pusung Lingker in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, on October 15, 2026. Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry said three died at the scene and a fourth died after being taken to hospital. The cause remained under investigation, while Probolinggo Regency’s disaster-management agency reported that active fire was still visible at Pusung Lingker on October 16.
Wildfire supression efforts in Sumatera Selatan, Indonesia on October 14, 2026. Credit: Kementerian Kehutanan
The fire was first reported at 14:23 LT (07:23 UTC) on October 13 in a resident’s field near Pusung Dawa, bordering the national park in Ngadirejo village, Probolinggo Regency. Park personnel, village officials, and residents carried out manual suppression because the steep site was far from water and difficult to reach with pumping equipment.
The Ministry of Forestry said the fire spread into the national park before crews reported it extinguished at 11:45 LT (04:45 UTC) on October 14. Personnel monitored the area into the night and observed no remaining fire or smoke.
Thick smoke was again visible from the Cemoro Lawang wildfire post at 09:20 LT (02:20 UTC) on October 15. Four personnel went to the area and requested reinforcements as the fire grew, with national-park personnel, community fire-brigade members and staff from tourism operator PT Mitra Indo Permai deployed to contain its spread toward Mentigen.
The personnel divided into two groups along the flanks of the fire. At about 13:00 LT (06:00 UTC), strong winds caused conditions to change rapidly, and six people became trapped, while five personnel working on the opposite side escaped.
After the flames subsided, rescuers found Sukaris, a Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park employee, and PT Mitra Indo Permai employees Wisnu Yuda Pratama and Sefriel Ardiansyah dead at about 13:30 LT (06:30 UTC).
Hendra Rony Wagiyanata, a Manggala Agni firefighter assigned to the national park, was evacuated with severe injuries but died after about three hours of hospital treatment.
The two surviving casualties were identified as Munawi, a member of the community fire brigade, and Suraji, a security employee of PT Mitra Indo Permai. Both suffered severe burns and were referred to Dr. Soetomo General Hospital in Surabaya for further treatment.
East Java Police said the cause of the fire and the circumstances that led to the casualties remained under investigation.
Although the first report placed the fire in a resident’s field, authorities had not established how it started, and investigators were collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. The Ministry of Forestry said it would evaluate the chronology and conduct of the suppression operation with other agencies.
Probolinggo Regency’s disaster-management agency reported on October 16 that active fire remained visible at Pusung Lingker and at Mount Ringgit. Response personnel continued monitoring and suppression operations.
Separately, the Ministry of Forestry’s SiPongi system recorded 799 high-confidence satellite hotspots across Indonesia at 21:00 LT (14:00 UTC) on October 15, an increase of 427 from 372 a day earlier. Six priority provinces accounted for 615 detections: Central Kalimantan 389, South Sumatra 122, West Kalimantan 42, Jambi 31 and South Kalimantan 31, while Riau recorded none at that confidence level.
The ministry stressed that hotspots are satellite-detected surface-temperature anomalies rather than confirmed individual fires or measurements of burned area. One fire can generate several hotspot detections, and each indication requires field verification.
Operations continued in Central Kalimantan, including near the core zone of Tanjung Puting National Park. Authorities were improving ground access and water supplies, while peat-fire suppression required continued wetting and cooling because subsurface embers can persist after surface flames disappear.
Ministry monitoring based on PM2.5 showed unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality at some locations in Sumatra, Kalimantan and other areas, with locally hazardous conditions. Residents were advised to reduce outdoor activity when air quality deteriorated, particularly children, pregnant women, older people and people with respiratory or chronic illnesses.
References:
1 Ministry of Forestry mourns four personnel and partners killed during wildfire suppression at Bromo – Ministry of Forestry – October 16, 2026
2 Probolinggo BPBD monitors wildfires at Mount Ringgit and Pusung Lingker – Government of Probolinggo Regency – October 16, 2026
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
