Disaster

Bromo Wildfire Kills 4 Officers and Volunteers Battling the Blaze

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 16, 2026•3 min read

A forest and land fire in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, Probolinggo, killed four members of a joint team on Thursday (15/10/2026). Six people were trapped after strong winds shifted direction; two burned victims were referred to RSUD dr. Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya, and police are probing possible negligence.

Key Facts

The wildfire broke out in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) area — Bukit Kembang Puncak Sari, Pusung Lingker, and Mentigen, Sukapura District, Probolinggo Regency, East Java — on Thursday (15/10/2026).
Twelve members of a joint team from TNBTS officers, the Masyarakat Peduli Api volunteer group, and local hotel staff departed to fight the blaze at around 09:00 local time.
At around 13:30 local time, six people became trapped after strong winds suddenly changed direction and the flames rapidly spread, surrounding their position.
Four people died: Sukaris (55) and Hendra Rony Wagiyanata — both TNBTS officers — along with Wisnu Yuda Pratama (25) and Sefriel Ardiansyah (19), hotel employees.
Two seriously burned victims, Munawi (a Masyarakat Peduli Api volunteer) and Suraji (a hotel security guard), were referred to RSUD dr. Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya; treatment costs are covered by the Probolinggo Regency Government in coordination with TNBTS.
The East Java Regional Police are investigating the cause of the fire and probing possible negligence or criminal elements; the Ministry of Forestry stressed that personnel safety must be the top priority in every wildfire operation.

Bromo Wildfire Claims the Lives of 4 Team Members

A forest and land fire (karhutla) in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS), Sukapura District, Probolinggo Regency, East Java, has claimed lives. Four people who were attempting to extinguish the blaze were declared dead on Thursday (15/10/2026).

The fire swept through the Bukit Kembang Puncak Sari, Pusung Lingker, and Mentigen areas. At around 09:00 local time, twelve people consisting of TNBTS officers, Masyarakat Peduli Api volunteers, and local hotel staff headed to the site to help fight the fire.

At around 13:30 local time, the situation changed drastically. Strong winds that suddenly shifted direction caused the flames to spread rapidly, trapping six team members on the front line. Three were found dead at the scene, while Hendra Rony Wagiyanata — known as Cak Panda — died en route to RSUD Tongas hospital. The death toll thus reached four.

Victim Identities and Condition of the Injured

The four victims were identified as Sukaris (55) and Hendra Rony Wagiyanata — both TNBTS officers — along with Wisnu Yuda Pratama (25) and Sefriel Ardiansyah (19), who were hotel employees near the site. Two seriously burned victims, Munawi of the Masyarakat Peduli Api volunteer group and Suraji, a hotel security guard, were referred to RSUD dr. Soetomo Hospital in Surabaya for intensive care.

Probolinggo Regent Muhammad Haris announced the casualty figures at a press conference at RSUD Tongas on Thursday night. He said the team had initially moved according to operating procedures, but the spreading fire and the sudden change of wind direction separated the group.

The Probolinggo Regency Government said it would cover the treatment costs of both injured victims in coordination with TNBTS. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa also expressed her condolences and appreciation for the dedication of the victims who fought to control the fire in the conservation area.

Police Probe Possible Negligence; Forestry Ministry Stresses Personnel Safety

East Java Regional Police Public Relations Chief Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast said police are investigating the exact cause of the fire while probing possible elements of negligence or criminal acts behind the four deaths. Police will process the crime scene and question a number of witnesses.

The Ministry of Forestry conveyed its deep condolences while stressing that personnel safety must be the top priority in every wildfire response operation. According to the ministry's Bureau Head for Public Relations and Foreign Cooperation, Ristianto Pribadi, the Bromo tragedy is a reminder that fighting wildfires is a high-risk activity demanding careful reading of fire behavior and wind direction, ready evacuation routes, and maintained communication among personnel.

The tragedy adds to the grim record of wildfire handling in Indonesia. The four lives lost in Bromo are a reminder that the safety of those serving on the front lines must never be sacrificed for the speed of extinguishment.