The key facts

  • At least four people died while fighting a fire on Mount Bromo, two were hospitalized with serious burns.
  • Among the dead are two employees of Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park and two hotel workers.
  • The head of Probolinggo Regency said that due to an abrupt wind change, six people were trapped by the fire.

Death toll rises to four

At least four people died while fighting a forest fire on Mount Bromo in Indonesia's East Java province. According to the state news agency Antara, the death toll rose to four on Thursday after another person died during transportation to the hospital.

The dead and the injured

Among the dead are two employees of Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park and two hotel workers. Two more people suffered serious burns while fighting the fire and were hospitalized for treatment.

Chronology of events according to the regency head

The head of Probolinggo Regency, Muhammad Haris, said that fires in the national park occur almost every year, but previously had not caused any deaths. According to him, under standard procedure, 12 people initially began fighting the fire, but the fire spread, the team split up, and six people were trapped due to a rapid change in wind direction.

Weather conditions

Indonesia is experiencing an unusually prolonged dry season: the El Nino phenomenon contributes to weather conditions favorable for the outbreak of forest fires.