TIME.CO, Malang – More than 400 hectares forest and land within the Bromo Tengger National Park area Semeru (TNBTS) has been on fire since the afternoon of Thursday, August 17, 2023. Efforts to extinguish it continue so far.
Based on the information received Timethe fire point is in the forest area and land on top Ranu Kumbolo O. Ranu Kumbolo is the largest and most beautiful lake in the TNBTS area. The fire burned the trees, especially the fir trees, and the grasslands (savanna) that were located in the Oro-oro Ombo, Cemoro Kandang and Jambangan blocks.
Note that Ranu Kumbolo, which is located at an altitude of 2,390 meters above sea level (asl), is the largest and most beautiful lake in the TNBTS area, the area of which serves as a resting place for climbers. Ranu Kumbolo is the fourth of ten climbing points for Mount Semeru.
The atmosphere at Oro-oro Ombo Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on Saturday, September 26, 2020. (TEMPO/Abdi Purmono)
Above Ranu Kumbolo is the Oro-oro Ombo Block (fifth pole) which is at an elevation of 2,460 meters above sea level. Oro-oro Ombo is actually an almost full savannah Verbena brasiliensisa beautiful flowering shrub that is often mistaken for lavender. Verbena brasiliensis it is not a native plant of the TNBTS area and is invasive.
Oro-oro Ombo is also a hunting ground for carnivorous animals such as the jungle cat and the Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas).
After Oro-oro Ombo, there is Cemoro Kandang at an altitude of 2,500 meters above sea level (sixth pole). Cemoro Kandang has mountain cypress (Jungian Casuarina), the original type of cypress onactive TNBTS area. After Cemoro Kandang meets Jambangan (seventh pole) which is located at an altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level. The Cemoro Kandang locality is dominated by lizard trees (Vacinium varingaefolium) and meadows. Cemoro Kandang is about 13 kilometers from Ranupani (first place) which is the place for registration and climbing permit.
Referring to the data presented in the SiPongi application, the forest and land burned during August 17-18, 2023 covered an area of more than 419 hectares, with fires totaling between 50 and 60 points as of August 18 yesterday.
SiPongi is an application-based early detection information system for forest and land fire control and website sipongi.menlhk.go.id developed by the Directorate of PKHL (Forest and Land Fire Control) General Directorate of PPI (Control of Changes Climate Change) Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) since August 2020.
Until now the efforts to extinguish it are continuing so that the fire does not spread further upwards, especially reaching the forest and grassland areas of Kalimati Post (2,800 masl) and Arcopodo (2,900 masl) which are usually used as a last stop before heading to Mahameru (top of Mount Semeru). The forest vegetation of the Arcopodo is dominated by the mountain cypress.
Extinguishing is done manually, such as beating the flames and doing insulation. The officers had difficulty getting water because the fire site was far from a source of water except those who had to get off at Ranu Kumbolo or Sumber Mani near Kalimati Post.
The possibility of the fire spreading to Kalimati and Arcopodo is quite large considering that the fire had already reached Kalimati. In addition, many of the undergrowth plants dried up due to the fires of 2019, and the forest area and land above Oro-oro Ombo were also damaged due to fires and drought.
Announcement
Another potential relates to the volcanic activity of Mount Semeru, which has a Level II (Alert) status. In recent days, the tallest volcano on the island of Java has often erupted large enough that there are fears that the ejection of volcanic material will reach Jambangan and ignite a fire that spreads through the forest area and lands under and around it.
“There is a lot of fuel supply, Mas, to see the potential for fires to spread, both due to dry plants in the forest and previously burned soils, and due to the dry season, also the potential due to conditions on Mount Semeru same,” the source said. Time.
In addition to the TNBTS officers, the firefighters consisted of the Ranupani Polhut community, Babinsa Ranupani, Indonesian volunteers Gimbal Alas and Semeru Volunteer Friends (Saver).
TNBTS Central Bureau Chief Hendro Widjanarko has not yet been able to answer questions Time regarding fire suppression measures and causes. Hendro was at Ranupani Post to participate in a series of Tengger cultural festival activities that took place in Ranupani (August 9-19, 2023), as well as coordinate with his men to deal with the fire.
“Wait a minute Mas, I’ll do a briefing first,” Hendro wrote via his WhatsApp account.
However, Hendro said, the Tengger cultural festival will continue. Meanwhile, the plan to reopen the hiking trail to Mount Semeru starting in September was canceled until all mountain guides (200 people) had finished training. Mount Semeru climbing has been closed since the eruption occurred on December 4, 2021 and was followed by an eruption on December 4, 2022.
Time noted that forest and land areas of TNBTS have often caught fire every September for the past four years. A fairly large fire occurred on September 17-19, 2019. About 250 climbers were immediately evacuated.
On Sunday, September 29, 2019, then TNBTS Central Bureau Chief John Kenedie released data on 93.3 hectares of forest and burnt land. The fire area covers the localities of Monte Kepolo, Arcopodo, Oro-Oro Ombo, Ranu Kumbolo, Pangonan Cilik, Kelik, Watu Pecah, Watu Rejeng, Ayek-Ayek, Pusung Gendero and Watu Tulis.
Then, the karhutla happened again in TNBTS area on 18-20 September 2020. The fire entered Argosari village area, Senduro district, Lumajang regency. However, the location of the fire is away from residential areas, so it does not directly impact residents. The fire burned about 10 hectares of forest and land. Police officers arrested a mentally disturbed man (ODGJ) who allegedly lit a fire for warmth.
Two of the fires were on hiking trails, which covered savannah or prairie. The fire this time was actually preceded by a small fire near the waste collection area in Ranupani village area, Senduro district one week ago.
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