Fires Ravaged Three Mountains in Central Java

Central Java (Greeners) – Fire fighters on Tuesday (11/09/2018) managed to put down fires on Mount Lawu, and attempting to extinguish in two more sites, Mount Sindoro and Mount Sumbing.

Based on a press release from Ministry of Environment and Forestry, hotspots spotted in Mongkrang hill, Tlogo Dlingu hamlet of Karanganyar district of Java Central resulted to Mount Lawu hiking trail was closed since September 10 until indefinite time.

National Disaster Management Agency, BNPB, stated that 200 hikers of Mount Lawu safely evacuated. People and other hikers were told not to get near the mountains due to dry weather, strong winds, dead and flammable trees.

At least 150 personnel of Central Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Perhutani, police, and volunteers were involved in the firefighting of nearly 30 hectares burned since Monday, at 4pm.

“Fires hit in cluster 62 of Tlogo Dringgo Forest Unit Resort, of North Lawu, Surakarta Forest Unit, located in Dringgo hamlet, Gondosuli village, Tawangmangu subdistrict, Karanganyar district,” said Suharman, head of Central Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency, on Tuesday (11/09/2018).

Fires in Mount Lawu was put out on Tuesday, around 2pm.

In addition, forest fires also hit Mount Sindoro, in cluster 10 of Kwadungan Forest Unit, in Temanggung. It was reported that fire fighters controlled the site but fires were potentially reached to Wonosobo Forest Unit, cluster 21 of Anggrunggondok Forest Unit.

Photo: BNPB

Head of Public Relation and Data of BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, stated that forest fires hitting Mount Sindoro, in cluster 10, occured on Saturday (08/09/2018), on 2.59 pm. Fires started at the second post of Mount Sindoro, in Wonosobo district, on Friday (07/09/2018), 9pm. Fires spread to east to Temanggung district forest areas. As a result, hiking trail of Mount Sindoro was closed.

“At least 415.6 hectare of forest and land fires in Mount Sindoro, the trail was still closed. No hiking for one suronan (red : month) to Mount Sindoro because fires can still light again because of dry weather and strong wind. Officials have closed off the trails,” said Nugroho through his twitter handle on Tuesday (11/09/2018).

Meanwhile, firest also hit in Mount Sumbing, or Temanggung forest areas, in the border of Kemloko and Mangli Forest Unit. At least 516 hikers have been evacuated by Tuesday afternoon.

“Forest fires in Mount Sumbang has yet to be put out. A total of 237.8 hectares were burned down up to Sept 11. They are still working in the field,” he said.

The fire fighting was led by Temanggung police supported by helicopters of BNPD and BNPB.

Reports by Dewi Purningsih