Indonesia has completely closed Mount Bromo to tourists after a wildfire in the surrounding national park expanded significantly over the weekend.
All tourist entrances to Mount Bromo have been closed since 10pm on Saturday, 8 August 2026, Indonesian time. The closure will remain in place until further notice.
The closure comes as firefighters continue battling a blaze that began on Monday, 3 August, within the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java.
All Tourist Entrances to Mount Bromo Are Now Closed
Initially, only some routes into Mount Bromo were affected.
From 3 August, tourist access from the Malang and Lumajang sides was temporarily closed, while tourists could still enter through other routes under restrictions.
That changed on Saturday night.
The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park authority said all tourist entrances would be closed so firefighters could work more effectively and to protect visitors.
The closure covers Mount Bromo’s five tourist entrances, including those from Probolinggo, Pasuruan, Malang and Lumajang.
There is currently no announced reopening date.
For travellers who have already booked their visit, ANTARA reported that the national park authority is allowing affected visitors to either reschedule their tickets or request a refund through its online booking system.
Area Affected by Fire Has Grown to About 520 Hectares
The fire has expanded rapidly.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, or BNPB, reported on Sunday that about 176.2 hectares had been burned based on information available from Saturday night. No deaths had been reported in that update.
However, a newer update from the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park authority on Sunday evening put the area affected at approximately 520 hectares.
The fire flared up again on Saturday night, spreading from slopes into Mount Bromo’s savanna.
Park chief Rudijanta Tjahja Nugraha said strong winds helped the flames move quickly downhill. The fire then reached dry grass and other vegetation before crossing the Tengger Caldera Ring Road and spreading into the savanna.
Firefighters Are Attacking the Blaze From the Ground and Air
Firefighting operations are taking place both on the ground and from the air.
BNPB said teams have been using fire engines, sprayers and manual firefighting methods, while helicopters have been deployed to reach steep slopes and areas inaccessible to ground crews.
By Sunday, Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said three water-bombing helicopters were operating. Authorities were also constructing a six-kilometre firebreak to prevent the blaze from spreading further.
The difficult terrain is one of the major challenges. BNPB said steep slopes around the Bromo caldera, wind conditions and fires in difficult-to-reach forested areas have complicated ground operations.
Authorities Suspect Human Activity, But the Cause Is Still Being Investigated
The exact cause of the wildfire has not been confirmed.
On 7 August, the national park authority said it suspected human activity may have been involved because the initial fire was detected around the Bantengan area.
Officials said there was a traditional route in the area and raised the possibility that someone had made a small fire to keep warm but failed to extinguish it properly. That remains a suspicion rather than a confirmed cause.
On Sunday, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the investigation into the cause had been handed over to law enforcement authorities.
For now, anyone planning a Mount Bromo trip will have to wait. As of the evening of 9 August 2026, all tourist access remains closed with no reopening date announced.
