Indonesian authorities have closed access to Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park on Java Island as firefighters battle a wildfire that has been burning for nearly a week.
The fire broke out on Monday near the popular Mount Bromo tourist destination in East Java and has destroyed 176 hectares (435 acres) of land, disaster official Abdul Muhari said.
Authorities barred visitors from entering the national park late Saturday until further notice. No injuries or property damage have been reported, according to Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
Two helicopters equipped for water bombing have been deployed to fight the fire in areas that are difficult for firefighters to reach because of steep slopes and strong winds.
"These conditions make air operations important to reach areas that cannot be accessed optimally by land," Muhari said in a statement on Sunday.
Mount Bromo has previously been affected by major wildfires. In 2023, a fire destroyed more than 500 hectares of land after a couple used a flare during a pre-wedding photo shoot.
Indonesia is facing increased wildfire risks this year as the country is expected to experience a more intense and prolonged dry season. The country's weather agency, BMKG, has linked the conditions partly to the El Niño weather phenomenon, which typically brings drier conditions to Southeast Asia and India.
More than 107,000 hectares of land were burned by wildfires across Indonesia during the first half of this year, more than twice the area affected by fires in 2023.
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that alters global wind, air pressure and rainfall patterns and can contribute to drier conditions in parts of Southeast Asia.