When Wildfires Speak: Mount Bromo’s Insight into Urban and Rural Conservation Challenges

SimpleJoy
4 min readSep 20, 2023

Wildfires that were raging in Bromo marred the area’s serene landscapes. The fire’s cause? A seemingly harmless pre-wedding photoshoot where flares were used.

Mount Bromo, Wildfires 2023, Source: Kompas.com

Mount Bromo, a jewel nestled within Indonesia’s vast landscapes, tells a story not just of nature’s splendor but of a connection deep-rooted in tradition and reverence. As the sun rises over this active volcano in East Java’s Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, painting the sky in stunning hues, it’s a moment of shared awe for both the Tengger people, who’ve held this mountain sacred for generations, and travelers from distant lands.

Mount Bromo, East Java, Indonesia
Mount Bromo, Photo by Fajruddin Mudzakkir on Unsplash

A Human-Made Tragedy

But recently, a shadow fell over Bromo. On a day in early September 2023, what began as a moment of celebration—a pre-wedding photoshoot—became a cautionary tale. Flares, lit for the sake of a picture, sparked a wildfire. Strong winds and dry conditions helped the fire spread quickly, causing damage to over 500 hectares of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.

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SimpleJoy

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