Probolinggo, E Java (ANTARA) - Probolinggo's Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in East Java Province continued monitoring wildfires on Mount Bromo after four people died while battling a blaze on Thursday afternoon.
Its rapid-response team was monitoring fires on Mount Ringgit and at Pusung Lingker, the agency's chief, Oemar Sjarief, said by phone on Friday.
Responders were monitoring the fires from a safe distance and were not attempting manual suppression because the sites were on steep cliff slopes, he said.
The fire on Mount Ringgit was in Ngadas Village, near the boundary with Wonokerto Village, while flames at Pusung Lingker in Ngadirejo Village reignited after being extinguished that morning, fanned by strong winds.
The burned vegetation included cogon grass, calliandra, dry grass, acacia and mountain casuarina. Dry vegetation and strong winds were fueling the spread, he said.
Steep, inaccessible terrain prevented crews from extinguishing the fires manually, he said, adding that responder safety was the top priority.
Six responders and volunteers were trapped while fighting the fires; four died and two others were treated in intensive care at Dr. Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya.
The incident was a stark reminder that wildfire suppression is high-risk work and that the safety of responders and volunteers must come first to prevent similar tragedies.
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Translator: Zumrotun S, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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