Mount Lawu wildfire closes Cemoro Sewu route, 244 deployed
The burned area in Magetan is estimated at 9 hectares, while the fire has spread to Ngawi and suppression remains hampered by terrain and strong winds.
A forest and land fire on the slopes of Mount Lawu forced a temporary closure of the Cemoro Sewu hiking route, as 244 joint personnel continued efforts to extinguish the blaze in the border area of Central Java and East Java. Perhutani KPH Lawu Ds said the first fire points were observed on Oct. 14 in the Panekan area of Magetan. In Magetan, the affected area is estimated at around 9 hectares and the fire is said to have been extinguished, but the blaze has spread to Ngawi Regency. In Karanganyar, Central Java Police Chief Roy Hardi Siahaan said firefighting still relies on conventional equipment because of the difficult terrain. The option of deploying a Penerbad helicopter for water bombing and weather modification with BMKG is also being prepared. The cause of the fire has not been determined, although possible human negligence is still being investigated.