Ari Susanto Jakarta Globe 2 Oct 14;
The upper slopes of Mount Merbabu in this file photo. (JG Photo/Ari Susanto)
Boyolali, Central Java. Fire burning dry forest in Mount Merbabu since last weekend has spread from western to eastern slopes, as police and Mount Merbabu National Park Agency, or BTNGM, officials sent firefighters Tuesday to the wildfires from escalating further out of control.
Flames appeared on the slopes near the villages of Kalipasang in Semarang district and Wekas in Magelang district, where hot spots were first identified a week ago. Dry brush and grass, hot winds, difficult access and shortage of water have made the fire difficult to control. The blaze has scorched an area, mostly savanna, as far away as Ampel, Boyolali, about 17 kilometers from Salatiga, Central Java.
“We have sent officers to help firefighters in the upper slopes along with forest rangers, as we identified that the fire is growing to our district. We prevented the fire from approaching villagers’ houses on the slope,” Ampel Police Chief Adj. Comr Marjoko said.
The BTNGM closed all hiking paths in Tekelan, Cuntel, Wekas and Selo indefinitely on Tuesday. Tourists and hikers are advised to change their destination to neighboring mountains such as Merapi, Sumbing, Sindoro and Lawu.
BTNGM conservation coordinator Kurnia Adi Wirawan said the park agency could not guarantee the safety of hiking paths, since the fire was difficult to control. Currently, search and rescue teams have focused on fighting fires in remote spots unreachable by firefighters, to provide egress to trapped hikers.
“We shut hiking paths since we cannot guarantee that the four passageways are safe from fire,” Kurnia said.
“At this moment, it is too dangerous for tourists to hike, as the wind can blow and enlarge fires so suddenly that it can trap them.”
The flames are glowing at 2,900 meters above sea level, mostly in secluded areas where access is challenging. The BTNGM also called on villagers living on the slopes to join firefighting efforts, since they are more familiar the area.
The national park includes 5,725 hectares forest around Mount Merbabu straddling Magelang, Semarang and Boyolali districts. It is home to endangered species including the Javan hawk-eagle and the Javan leopard
