Ministry of Forestry Investigates Causes of Bromo Fire, Two Environmental Experts Involved

PROBOLINGGO, GARISBUMI.com – The Ministry of Forestry is investigating the cause of the fire in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) area. A special team involving forest fire experts and academics was dispatched to investigate the cause of the incident as well as investigate suspected criminal acts.

The two experts involved were forest and land fire expert Prof. Bambang Hero Saharjo and land and environmental damage expert Prof. Basuki Wasis.

Both of them will help the team carry out scientific studies regarding the causes of fires and the impact of damage to the TNBTS area. The results of the examination will be a basis for determining law enforcement steps.

Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said that fires in conservation areas are a serious concern because they involve ecological and public interests.

"The fire in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is a serious concern because it concerns a conservation area that has great ecological, social and public benefit values," said Dwi Januanto in Probolinggo, Sunday, September 13 2026.

According to him, handling fires in conservation areas requires joint work from various parties and cannot be done by one institution alone.

The Ministry of Forestry has formed a special team to handle fires comprehensively. The team is not only involved in controlling the fire, but is also tasked with uncovering the cause of the fire and preparing legal steps if violations are discovered.

"We express our appreciation to all officers, area managers, the community and volunteers who have worked hard to protect this area," he said.

"The state is here to ensure that forests are maintained, communities are protected, and every action that damages areas is accounted for according to the law," he continued.

Team Collects Evidence from Fire Location

The investigative team is still collecting information regarding field conditions, fire spread patterns, activities around the location, and various other factors that are thought to be related to the fire.

Every piece of information will be verified and compared with evidence found in the field. This step is necessary to ensure its connection to legal facts before investigators determine the next course of action.

Head of the Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara Regional Forestry Law Enforcement Agency, Aswin Bangun, said that the examination was carried out carefully to build a complete case construction.

"We are still investigating various information obtained in the field, including location inspections, collecting information, and analyzing the facts found," said Aswin.

According to him, a thorough investigation is needed so that every legal step has a strong basis and can be accounted for.

"This entire process is carried out carefully so that every legal step taken has a strong basis and can be accounted for," he stressed.

Recurring Fires Threaten the Ecological Function of TNBTS

Recurring fires in the TNBTS area not only damage the vegetation cover. This incident also has the potential to disrupt the ecological function of the area, animal habitat, ecosystem balance and the environmental benefits that the community has experienced.

Therefore, expert studies are needed to measure the level of damage as well as understand the patterns and causes of fires scientifically. These findings can also help the government formulate recovery steps and prevent similar incidents from recurring.

The Ministry of Forestry stated that it would continue to strengthen the protection of conservation areas through prevention, monitoring, cross-party cooperation and evidence-based law enforcement.

The investigation will continue until the cause of the fire is revealed. If elements of a violation or criminal act are found, the party responsible will be processed according to legal provisions.