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Efforts to extinguish a forest and land fire on the slopes of Mount Lawu in Karanganyar Regency, Central Java, were hampered by weather conditions on Monday morning, October 19, 2026. Kompas.com reported that two water-bombing helicopters that had already collected water were unable to approach the fire hotspots because of thick clouds. Aerial operations were temporarily suspended until conditions improve.
Helicopters Return to Airport
Karanganyar Regent Rober Christanto said two helicopters, each with a capacity of 2,000 liters, had been deployed to tackle the fire. The Indonesian Army Aviation and Indonesian Air Force helicopters had collected water from Gondang Dam but encountered difficulties when attempting to approach the fire site.
According to Rober, the thick cloud cover made it unsafe for the helicopters to approach the fire hotspots. Both helicopters subsequently returned to Adi Soemarmo Airport, where they were parked. Water-bombing operations were temporarily suspended while personnel monitored weather developments around the slopes of Mount Lawu.
Two Fire Hotspots Still Detected
The Karanganyar Regency administration recorded that the affected area had reached 100 hectares, with data collection still ongoing. The number of fire hotspots, initially recorded at 11, had fallen to two.
Personnel on the ground continued monitoring the situation while prioritizing safety. Rober explained that the fire was spreading very quickly and could endanger personnel. The Karanganyar Regency administration declared a 14-day forest and land fire emergency response period starting Saturday, October 17, 2026, to accelerate efforts to contain the fire in the protected forest area.
Karanganyar Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Arman Sahti said the cause of the fire, which broke out on Thursday, October 15, 2026, was still under investigation. He said prolonged drought conditions had made the area vulnerable to fire, but the exact trigger was still being examined.
Cemoro Sewu Trail Closed
Meanwhile, Republika reported that the Lawu and Surrounding Areas Forest Management Unit of Perhutani had temporarily closed the Mount Lawu hiking trail through Cemoro Sewu. The closure was imposed as a precautionary measure to protect hikers and will remain in effect until further notice.
Mulyadi, assistant forest superintendent of the South Lawu Forest Management Subunit under the Lawu Forest Management Unit, said the fire in Magetan had been extinguished, but the blaze had spread toward Ngawi Regency. Perhutani estimated that around nine hectares had been affected in Magetan, covering Compartments 50 A1 and 50 E in the Bedagung Forest Resort, South Lawu Forest Management Subunit.
Personnel continued to patrol the Magetan area to ensure that no embers remained that could reignite the fire. Firebreaks along the border were also reinforced to prevent flames from Ngawi from spreading back into the area. The forest and land fire command post in Ngliliran Village, Panekan District, remained on standby to monitor the possibility of recurring fires amid extremely dry weather conditions.
Safety Remains the Priority
The firefighting response involved Perhutani, the Regional Disaster Management Agency, the military and police, Fire Awareness Community groups, volunteers, and local residents. Wind conditions and dry vegetation were considered capable of causing the fire to spread and threaten other hiking trails in the Mount Lawu area.
Residents and prospective hikers were urged not to enter the Mount Lawu area until it is declared safe. The hiking trails will be reopened following an announcement from the authorities.
