Indonesia battles growing wildfires as Mount Bromo blaze spreads

JAKARTA: (Aug 10) Indonesia intensified efforts Monday to combat a growing number of wildfires across the archipelago, deploying helicopters, hundreds of firefighters and disaster personnel as blazes spread through a popular national park in East Java and peatlands in Sumatra during an unusually dry season, officials said.

East Java officials said the largest blaze is burning in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java province, where about 743 hectares (1,836 acres) have been scorched.

Dry weather and strengthening El Nino conditions raised the risk of more forest and land fires during the peak dry season, Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry said in a statement Sunday.