{"id":6824,"date":"2026-06-03T00:06:32","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T16:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heybali.info\/news\/?p=6824"},"modified":"2026-06-03T00:06:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T16:06:33","slug":"mount-rinjani-fire-rages-uncontained-as-indonesian-crews-battle-flames-with-branches-and-willpower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heybali.info\/news\/mount-rinjani-fire-rages-uncontained-as-indonesian-crews-battle-flames-with-branches-and-willpower\/","title":{"rendered":"Mount Rinjani Fire Rages Uncontained as Indonesian Crews Battle Flames With Branches and Willpower"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fifty-five hectares have burned. Strong winds, steep terrain, and a lack of water are crippling efforts to stop the blaze. Authorities are now considering closing the popular trekking route.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMBALUN, Indonesia<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The fire on Mount Rinjani<\/a> is getting worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly three days after the first flames were spotted in the Propok savanna area, the blaze has spread deep into the forested slopes of one of Indonesia’s most famous volcanoes. As of Thursday, approximately 55 hectares of land have burned \u2014 an area roughly equivalent to 77 football pitches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the fire is still not under control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We have not been able to extinguish the fire,” said Taufikurrahman, head of the Rinjani National Park Resort<\/a> in Sembalun, on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fire, which began on Tuesday, was initially concentrated in non-climbing zones. But it has since moved toward trekking routes, forcing park officials to consider shutting down the popular Sembalun access point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If the fire continues to spread, we will close the Sembalun climbing route,” said Lalu Santawa, fire management coordinator for the Rinjani National Park Authority. Trekkers with existing bookings would be redirected to the Torean or Senaru routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Desperate Battle With Limited Tools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The firefighting effort has grown since Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday morning at 5:00 AM, visual monitoring from the Sembalun resort office revealed hotspots moving from the Gomongan forest area toward Panggang, in Sembalun Lawang village.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 8:00 AM, the first fire response team had deployed with five water pumps and jet shooters, carried by motorcycles and operational vehicles. A second team of 27 personnel followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the terrain has proven merciless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Fire in the lower western and eastern sections has been brought under control,” Taufikurrahman explained. “But the fire at the top is unreachable. The topography is too steep. There are ravines. The vegetation is thick. And the wind is strong.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firefighters are using what they have: jet shooters, tree branches, hoes, shovels, and machetes. Some carry water on their backs. There is no reliable water source near the fire zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 55 hectares burned, crews have managed to extinguish only about 15 hectares.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"FOREST
FOREST FIRE: Forest fires broke out again in the Mount Rinjani National Park (TNGR) area, Tuesday (31\/10), and as of Thursday (2\/11), the fires had not been completely extinguished due to the difficult-to-reach terrain or topography. (IST)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dry Vegetation, High Winds, and a Familiar Pattern<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The fire is burning through a mix of dry shrubs, grass, fallen leaves, and trees including mountain pine, saropan, and acacia decurrens \u2014 all highly flammable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong winds have accelerated the spread. Steep ravines have made access nearly impossible. And the absence of nearby water sources means crews must carry everything they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not the first time Rinjani has burned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, a significant fire swept through similar terrain. That blaze also required days to contain. Trekking routes were closed. Tourism was disrupted. And the underlying vulnerabilities \u2014 dry seasons, human activity, limited equipment \u2014 remain unchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Sparked the Fire?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Investigators suspect human activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not the usual suspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Based on our examination, this was not land clearing,” Santawa said. “The evidence points more toward hunting.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If confirmed, it would add a troubling dimension to the story. Not a farmer burning fields. Not a careless trekker discarding a cigarette. But someone potentially using fire as a tool to flush out game \u2014 with consequences that have now spiraled far beyond control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police are still investigating. No suspects have been named.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Fire
Fire hit the Mount Rinjani area on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Human Effort<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The response has drawn from nearly every available resource in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of Thursday, 39 personnel are engaged in the firefighting operation. They come from multiple agencies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n