Indonesia: Fire razes 9.5-hectare forest area in Mt Sindoro, C Java

Antara 9 Sep 18;

A wildfire razed an area measuring 9.5 hectares in Mt Sindoro forest located in Wonosobo and Temanggung districts, Central Java Province, Sunday (Sept 9, 2018). (ANTARA FOTO/Anis Efizudin/foc)

Jakarta (ANTARA News)- Efforts went on to extinguish a wildfire that has razed an area measuring 9.5 hectares in Mt Sindoro forest located in Wonosobo and Temanggung districts, Central Java Province, Sunday.

The fire was spotted for the first time on Friday (Sept 7) in Wonosobo and spread to Temanggung, Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said in a statement here, Sunday.

Some 9.5 hectares of bushes and vegetation area were gutted by the fire that had inflicted losses worth Rp1.4 billion, he added.

A total of 219 people among others comprising military officers and volunteers, worked hard to extinguish the fire. The efforts, however, were hampered by difficult terrain, strong wind and lack of supporting facilities.

The authorities have declared Mount Sindoro closed to climbing since Saturday because of the wildfire.

Reporting by Monalisa

Editor: Fardah Assegaf


Mount Sindoro`s forest fire extinguished: BNPB spokesman
Antara 11 Sep 18;

Smoke billowed from the Sindoro mountain forest fire, a photo taken from the village of Sigedang, Kejajar, Wonosobo, Central Java, Saturday (8/9/2018). (ANTARA PHOTO/Anis Efizudin/foc)

Temanggung, C Java (ANTARA News) - A forest fire on Mount Sindoro in Temanggung District, Central Java Province, which has destroyed around 156 hectares of land, has been extinguished, a spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.

"However, the mountain`s climbing trails remain closed," BNPB Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in his Twitter account that ANTARA qouted here on Monday evening.

Local residents and visitors, who want to perform an annual ritual to commemorate the Javanese New Year, or commonly known as 1 Suro, are not allowed to climb the mountain for safety reasons, he noted.

The fire could likely engulf the affected areas due to the drought and strong winds, he explained, adding that the climbing trails had been closed to prevent people from climbing.

Meanwhile, Head of Temanggung Disaster Mitigation Agency Gito Walngadi earlier remarked that the strong winds had caused the fire to spread quickly towards the East.

The forest fire, which has engulfed Sigedang area in Wonosobo District since Sept 9, has destroyed around 156 hectares of land. It then affected the patches of 10-4 in Temanggung District, he revealed.

At least 180 people, including local volunteers and personnel of military, police, state-owned forestry company Perhutani, and disaster mitigation agency, have participated in the fire-fighting efforts, he noted.

"The Purbalingga and Batang Search and Rescue Agencies also deployed tens of their personnel to assist the fire-fighting efforts," he added.

Another forest fire had earlier engulfed Mount Lawu, located on the border of Central Java and East Java Provinces.

Owing to its scenic view, beautiful Edelweiss flowers, and crater, Mount Lawu has become one of the mountains in the Indonesian island of Java, which is frequently scaled by mountaineers.

Reporting by Heru Suyitno
Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Heru Purwanto