Indonesia deploys additional helicopters to combat Bromo National Park wildfire

BNPB escalates aerial firefighting efforts as the blaze spreads across rugged terrain, raising concerns over potential tourism disruption and environmental damage.

By Handelsavisen Newsroom · Automated 5 August 2026, 07:43 UTC · 1 min read

Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has confirmed the deployment of two additional water-bombing helicopters to battle a wildfire spreading across Bromo National Park.

The move marks an escalation in aerial firefighting efforts as authorities struggle to contain the blaze in the park’s difficult, rugged terrain.

The fire has prompted increased scrutiny of Indonesia’s dry-season disaster response capabilities.

While no homes are currently at risk and no injuries have been reported, the proximity of the flames to popular tourist areas raises concerns about potential closures and economic impact on local communities dependent on tourism revenue.

BNPB has previously relied on aerial water drops to extinguish similar fires in the region.

In recent operations, crews used 14 Bambi Bucket drops of 800 liters each, releasing a total of 11,200 liters of water to conclude operations by 7 pm.