Bromo Wildfire Spreads, Thousands of Tourists File Refund and Visit Reschedule Requests

A total of 2,056 tourists have submitted ticket refund requests for visits to Mount Bromo after the tourist area was fully closed due to widespread forest and land fires. This closure was enacted to accelerate firefighting operations while protecting visitor safety.

Endrip Wahyutama, Public Relations Officer of the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (TNBTS) Central Management Office, confirmed the refund applicants consist of 1,944 domestic tourists and 112 international visitors. Submissions have been processed since Sunday, 9 August.

"There are 1,944 Indonesian citizens and 112 foreign nationals who have completed the ticket refund process," Endrip stated.

Aside from requesting full ticket refunds, some tourists are waiting to visit Bromo once conditions are safe. 32 domestic visitors have formally submitted requests to reschedule their planned trips.

In total, 3,062 tourists were scheduled to enter the Mount Bromo area between 9 and 15 August. This figure includes 2,671 domestic visitors and 391 international travellers.

Hundreds of booked visitors have not yet confirmed what action they will take regarding their tickets. TNBTS records show 974 tourists have not filed for refunds, consisting of 695 domestic and 279 international visitors.

"695 domestic tourists have not submitted refund requests, alongside 279 international visitors," he added.

Full Bromo Closure Implemented To Support Firefighting

The TNBTS Central Management Office first enforced a full lockdown of all official entry points to Mount Bromo on Saturday 8 August at 22:00 Western Indonesian Time.

Five official access routes are closed: Cemorolawang (Probolinggo Regency), Wonokitri (Pasuruan Regency), Jemplang and Coban Trisula (Malang Regency), and Senduro (Lumajang Regency).

This decision followed continued expansion of the burn zone inside the park. Fire was confirmed to have crossed the Tengger Caldera Ring Road from Bukit Jantur, spreading into the protected savanna ecosystem.

The full area closure was enacted based on real-time field assessments, intended to remove obstacles and streamline active firefighting operations.

Visitor safety and security was also listed as the primary governing factor for maintaining the closure for the duration of active fire activity.

Affected tourists may choose either full ticket refund or visit rescheduling. Both processes are completed via the official online booking system operated by park management.

No reopening date has been set for this iconic East Java destination; access will only be restored following successful fire containment and formal independent safety assessments.