Wildfires burn across Indonesia as officials cite El Nino as a cause

Hundreds of firefighters and helicopters battle a growing wildfire at Indonesia’s Mount Bromo.Close to 50,000 firefighters and disaster personnel, backed by dozens of helicopters, are battling wildfires in several parts of Indonesia after an unusually dry season in the sprawling archipelago.Increased El Nino conditions have raised the risk of more forest and land fires during the peak dry season, said Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Djamari Chaniago, on Monday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Powerful El Nino to intensify heat on ‘a planet already on fire’: UNlist 2 of 3India’s severe monsoon season causes more than 100 deaths since Julylist 3 of 3Puerto Rican cities hit with water rationing measures during record droughtend of listAuthorities in East Java say the largest blaze is in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, where about 743 hectares (1,836 acres) of land have been scorched. The park is closed to visitors until further notice.“This closure is a crucial step to ⁠⁠maintain the safety of visitors, staff and ⁠⁠people in the surrounding areas,” the park’s operator said on its Instagram page.The fire has burned large areas of dry grassland, vegetation and protected Edelweiss flowers. Flames have spread to the Penanjakan area, a popular viewpoint for tourists visiting the volcanic landscape of Mount Bromo, one of Indonesia’s best-known attractions. No injuries or building evacuations have been reported.Almost 6,000 firefighters have been deployed to battle wildfires in Jambi province. Officials said deep peat soil, limited water supplies, difficult access and strong winds have complicated efforts, even with help from three firefighting helicopters.El Nino increases fire riskDry weather and strengthening El Nino conditions have raised the risk of fires during the peak dry season, according to Indonesia’s forestry ministry. Indonesia’s BMKG weather agency has warned that the 2026 dry season will be more intense and prolonged than usual, with a higher risk of wildfires and drought due in part to El Nino.