Jakarta, Aug 12:
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.
Scores of firefighters, backed by 43 helicopters, have been deployed to battle wildfires that have burned more than 107,000 hectares (264,000 acres) of forests and other land across the Southeast Asian nation, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago said. East Java authorities 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.
Authorities have closed the park to visitors until further notice. It said the fire has burned large areas of dry grassland, vegetation and protected edelweiss flowers as flames have spread to the Penanjakan area, a popular viewpoint for tourists visiting Mount Bromo, one of Indonesia’s best-known attractions. No injuries or evacuations have been reported.