• Fire near Mount Bromo has burnt 550 hectares but has been extinguished.
• New hotspots have been detected around the caldera, raising concerns.
• Authorities suspect carelessness as the cause of the initial fire.
• Dry conditions and El Nino are worsening wildfire risks across Indonesia.

A fire in Indonesia's Mount Bromo National Park in East Java that scorched 550 hectares has been extinguished, according to officials. However, new hotspots covering approximately 20 hectares have emerged near the caldera, indicating continuing risks in the area. More than 120 personnel and several helicopters have been dispatched for firefighting efforts, but the forecast remains concerning as dry conditions persist, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the initial fire, suspecting it may have originated from a visitor’s carelessness. "A person lit a fire, then put it out – but the fire was not fully extinguished," said Gatot Soebroto, head of the local disaster mitigation agency. This has raised alarms as Mount Bromo is a popular tourist destination and serves as a habitat for various flora and fauna, according to Channel News Asia and Los Angeles Times.

Wildfires are exacerbated this season due to unusually dry weather influenced by El Niño conditions. Coordinating Minister Djamari Chaniago reported that wildfires have affected over 107,000 hectares nationwide, with numerous regions experiencing severe fire outbreaks, including Sumatra and Borneo. The Indonesian government is currently relying on aerial firefighting and ground personnel to combat the situation as cloud-seeding operations have been deemed ineffective due to unfavorable weather patterns, notes Los Angeles Times and Reuters.